Poké Wars Ransei Military Files - Weapons and Firearms
by Titanic X
Summary: The Undampening has led us to this point in time. Ransei, once a feudal land, has now become a technological stronghold and the hope in the world's darkest hours. The Coalition Forces have seen a staggering increase in effectiveness due to Ransei technology. This guide details all the weapons and firearms Ransei has created and has at their disposal.
1. Introduction

**UNITED KINGDOMS OF RANSEI MILITARY**

 **RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT**

 **OMEGA PROTOCOL FILES LEVEL SEVEN-OMEGA-SIGMA**

 **—** **WARNING!—**

 **ALL FILES ARE LABELED TOP SECRET**

 **ANY OF THESE FILES DISCUSSED BEYOND THE PERSONNEL INVOLVED WILL BE REDACTED**

 **ANYONE NOT OF THE HLC IS PROHIBITED FROM THESE FILES**

 **ALL PERSONNEL WILL BE GIVEN ACCESS ON A STRICT 'NEED TO KNOW BASIS'**

 **ANY PLANS OR IDEAS MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE AURORA DEFENSE FORCES OR ANY OTHER OF THE UNITED KINGDOMS OF RANSEI**

 **HEAD SCIENTIST: DR. JASON HENDRICKS**


	2. Heart of Ransei

**File # 001**

 **Heart of Ransei**

 **Type:** Unknown

 **Weight:** N/A

 **Dimensions:** 30 foot radius, 30 foot height

 **Power:** Unknown

 **Abilities:** Power diverting, power radiation, energy barriers, core charges, and energy blasts from crystals around Illusio

 **Color:** Bluish white

* * *

 **NOTES**

The Heart of Ransei is a very strange and mysterious source of power, formed five years ago when the Undampening occurred. No one knows how, but theories rebound and speculation is rife that the crystals in the kingdom Illusio had some hand in it. Studies done on the crystals have determined that they, over the past three thousand to five thousand years, have been absorbing the emotional and psychic energy of the Link to allow them to resonate and glow with the power. The unique energy they emitted was enough to cause it to form when the Undampening amplified the powers of all Psychic-types within the kingdom. This "Psychic Backlash" forced all the gathered energy into the air above the kingdom where it coalesced and formed into a spherical shape hovering over the kingdom.

Now the Heart of Ransei has been an asset in many ways, such as providing power to us in the form of crystal energy cores for our new exo-suits and the GUNDAM Soldiers' frames. The crystals' properties to sustain and hold this 'charge' for years has allowed us to reduce our reliance upon fossil fuels, and make it easier for us to power even our cities in some cases. Our nation has seen an increase in technological advances, and even in terms of energy conservation.

But there is a downside to this amazing source of power.

In times of extreme duress, we have discovered that a warlord must give themselves up to allow the Heart to form a defensive barrier around any kingdom that has fallen under attack from Ho-oh's minions. This has also allowed a sort of growth for the Heart, which means it can act of its own accord at certain times, either diverting power to one area of the nation or sending out surges of power to allow for a victory over the forces of the Church of Ragnarok or even the forces of Uxie and Ho-oh. Such a thing comes at a price though, for then the Heart loses half of its strength. While it does regain its strength, it takes time. No one knows the time frame of such a recharge period.

Another ability we have uncovered is that whenever a Pokémon from Ho-oh's forces attempts to attack Illusio, the Heart of Ransei can send power out through the crystals to fire off energy blasts, even though they tend to miss more often than not. These blasts are bluish white in color, and the crystals, which normally glow a dim purple-pink color, have shifted in color to a bright bluish white. No one knows why, but we suspect that it was because of the excess energy being released all at once.

There is another downside to this source of power.

To use the new vehicles being developed in the aftermath of the Heart's formation, all Ransei citizens must carry a small crystal with them to activate the vehicle. This we believe is a failsafe designed to prevent anyone else from using and trying to figure out the source of the power. These crystals are charged with energy from the Heart, and it gives even some rudimentary first aid capabilities, limited only to minor injuries like scrapes and bruises. More severe injuries need to be treated with normal medical aid, although the crystals can be used to speed up the healing of any scars.

The most significant limitation is the fact that the Heart seems to have a consciousness of its own. No one knows how it's possible, but theorists speculate that it has something to do with the emotions of the people and Pokémon of Ransei, allowing it to make decisions based on that, along with the use of the crystals each citizen carries. So in effect, while we can control it to a limited degree, it also has some degree of autonomy. We have to be careful as we're treading a fine line with this.

Regardless, the Heart of Ransei is a very powerful energy source, and its abilities have granted Ransei a large degree of protection. We can only hope that by using it wisely we can keep it around and learn to work with whatever emerges from its collective emotional energy.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"The Heart of Ransei has proven to be a valuable asset. Only downside is that it's got very little in the way of firepower." - Gregory Bakuma, 257th Nixtorm Armored Brigade

"Dam crystal's got enough juice for a barrier. I'm just glad for that." - Kenshi Otomaiya, 5th Crystal Guards

"Gotta love that healing property of the crystals! Saved my skin when I got a wound to my right arm. Damn near bled to death." - Corporal Boris "Grinder" Daggart, 5th Mobile Infantry Corps

"Three years. Three fuckin' years those exoframes have gone without a recharge. Man. That Heart's got some power!" - Chief Engineer Daniel Hutchins, 15th Engineering Corps

* * *

 **June 19, Illusio, Ransei, 5 YDR**

The glowing energy from the light above the kingdom glimmered and flashed.

Bright bluish white energy crackled over its semi-faceted surface, adding to the almost mystical nature of the orb that now hovered over fifty stories above the kingdom's castle. Zillions of little sparks danced across the shards of crystal that acted as shields hovering around it, protecting it from harm should the need arise, looking like many miniature fireflies as they flittered and leapt on their surfaces.

To Spray, it was a magnificent sight as he banked around, a smile crossing his lips. He reached up with a hand and adjusted the visor on his head, his fingers playing across the controls for his plane with ease. The hum of the energy surging through the craft made his body shudder for a moment as his free hand flew to the slot for the crystal he now carried around his neck in place of the keys.

It was just one of the many changes made over the last three years, and it was a mark of how far Ransei had come as a nation and as a region. No longer were they struggling to adapt and overcome the Apocalypse. Now they were a nation filled of hope, freedom, and a place where Pokémon and humans could still live in harmony, despite the Undampening five years ago.

He looked down at the kingdom below, taking in the newer, more modern buildings with an appreciative eye. The builders had done an amazing job in just a few short years. Well, it should've been impossible, but since humanity had their own dampeners removed, there was no limit to what they could do once they put their minds to it. The mere thought made him chuckle a bit. He put his plane into a bank, its crystal-charged engine humming with power. He pushed the plane to its limits, feeling the air rushing past the slightly open window. He closed it though as it was starting to get a bit chilly at these altitudes.

Spray turned his gaze away from the kingdom below and out towards the open countryside beyond the castle. The places where battles happened in the past were now overgrown and in some cases built back up. It was a stark contrast to what had once been an apocalyptic wasteland.

Ruined cities no longer dotted the landscape. Instead, towering, gleaming skyscrapers took their place. Trees grew out of once destroyed land, and in some cases, large fields existed where forests once stood, burned to the ground by fire attacks over the course of the Unification. The rivers that crossed the country now hummed with traffic, and aircraft flitted through the air, every now and then passing by one of the new combat frames developed for wounded soldiers. Trains snaked across the rail network, and a few more advanced bullet trains zipped from one end of the nation to the next. The sky was no longer choked up by smoke, and the sun didn't have to struggle to penetrate the thick gloom. Now the skies were clear and the sun shone as bright as it should.

Spray's smile broadened a bit, a feeling of satisfaction pulsing in his chest as he pushed his plane to the utmost limit. He laughed in relief and happiness as he flashed past the Heart of Ransei, the crystal shards around the orb gleaming in the sunlight. A helicopter flew past, the pilot spotting him and waving in response. Spray returned the wave before banking right and flying off towards the kingdom of Aurora, now the capital of the United Kingdoms of Ransei.

He looked towards the horizon, and his eyes softened as he spotted one of the few remaining ruined cities, a series of monuments dedicated to those whose lives were lost in the Undampening. In the weeks following the Unification of Ransei, the warlords had each elected to leave a city in ruins as a memorial to those whose lives were lost, a decision that left seventeen cities as they were, and also turned them into a spot for exploration to take place. Nothing was taken, but a bunch of kids eager to explore an abandoned city was another matter. Several roads were also left in ruins, but only minor ones as new roads had been created afterwards.

He flew past the ruins, slowing his plane down to allow himself to observe the ruined structures.

Even five years hadn't done much to alter the basic structures, although they were more weathered and worn than before. His eyes narrowed a bit as he looked down at the buildings, vines and vegetation starting to creep up their sides and take over the floors. Windows were now gone, and trees were starting to sprout in what cracks had formed in the pavement of the streets and sidewalks. Cars were turned over and were starting to rust or become covered in greenery while the rail tracks were nothing but a ribbon of steel amidst the new growth of vegetation.

Amongst it all he saw the bodies of those dead, left where they were once the end of the war in Ransei had come.

Memories of the war pricked at his brain and he tore his eyes away from the dead city, flying back towards Aurora. His eyes started to water beneath his visor and he gritted his teeth.

The whole thing had started with the Undampening, and now it was up to them to craft a new ending to this drama.

He flew back to the kingdom, spotting the airport now cleared of debris and rebuilt. Spray brought his plane in for a landing and touched down, bringing it to a halt just outside the hangar and shutting down the engine. He grabbed the crystal from its slot and pulled it out, hanging it back around his neck.

The smooth surface of the crystal hummed lightly, and he felt a slight tingle where it touched his flesh. Spray leapt out of the plane, landing on the ground and walking for his bike. Like his plane, and like all vehicles of Ransei now, the engine had been replaced with a specially made one that utilized the energy of the Heart of Ransei to power it. He slipped a leg over the seat and removed the crystal from around his neck. He inserted it into the slot and turned it, almost like a key, and the bike hummed to life.

Spray kicked up the kickstand and revved the bike's engine, tearing out of the airport and heading right for the castle in Auroros.

The streets were busy as people walked to and from work or home, or even drove their cars. Some people chatted and others got a bite to eat while some just stood around, waiting for public transportation. One good thing he knew about the changeover to crystal energy was the sheer reduction in carbon emissions, and the lack of such things meant that the cities were now cleaner and had no smog dangers.

Of course, there was the exception to the rule in regards to the Lost Kingdom: Viperia.

Despite the incredible advances in technology and science of Ransei, there was just no known way to remove the poison from the air and ground within that region of the nation. In fact, all they could do was create an energy barrier to contain the poisonous Pokémon and keep them from escaping into the rest of the country. Already people were calling it the Lost Kingdom because no one could get in without being killed by the very air or ground, and even their GUNDAM Soldiers were at risk due to the high corrosive acids in the air and ground.

Spray gritted his teeth as he brought the bike to a stop in the castle's parking lot. He had to talk to someone about this anyway.

Especially since there were sightings of Muk starting to slip out through cracks in the energy field.

He secured his bike and made his way through the palace towards the command center.

* * *

"You sure, Kenshi?" Spray asked, looking at the man in front of him. "There have been two Muk sightings outside the field?"

Kenshi Otomaiya nodded, his blue eyes hard. "Yes, sir. We think that the Pokémon may have found another crack in the barrier. But we're going to seal them up as soon as possible." He ran a hand through his brownish hair and adjusted his armor. "We hope to round up the Muk first."

Spray sighed as he placed a hand to the bridge of his nose. "Okay. Just try and make sure that neither of them get close to any of the other kingdoms, especially Illusio. That corrosive acid they emit can destroy anything," he said.

Kenshi nodded as he sat back down. Kenshi was the newest member to his council, and he was placed in charge of the Barrier Corps, a group dedicated to maintaining the energy field around Viperia's borders. Spray shot a glance towards the main monitor showing the different areas of Ransei, including the ruins of Viperia. The seething blue energy field was keeping back the poisonous mist that now encompassed the entire land, and it was only because of that it was not spreading to the other kingdoms. The Muk were slowly going to die off, but that area would be contaminated for centuries at this race. And, according to his best experts from Ignis and other kingdoms, there was no way they'd be able to safely detonate an explosive within because of the explosive power, even with the barrier.

It would decimate half the entire region.

At best.

So containment was all they could do for now.

Spray returned his gaze to the council gathered before him. "So, any reports on the external situation outside of Ransei?" he asked.

"Well, we do have reports that the other regions are still trying to recover from this. We're just lucky most Pokemon weren't willing to attack us because of our historical link to them," Harold Warson remarked as he looked up from the report in his hands. He stood up and handed it to Spray.

The warlord took it and skimmed it over, his eyes hard. "I see…" he mused. "What of Lugia? What does he think of this?"

Warson shrugged. "Beats me. I just know what the scouts sent back."

Spray pursed his lips and frowned. "Anything else?"

Wingma Nelson stood up, her eyes grim. "Spray, you know Nixtorm?"

He nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

His best friend and fellow councilor sighed, closing her eyes. "We got word. There's been an attack on them three days ago."

The entire room fell silent as everyone looked at her. Then Spray spoke up. "WHAT?!" His eyes were wide as he slammed his hands down on the table. "They were _WHAT?!_ "

"They were attacked by some of Uxie's minions. We think he may have been trying to establish a foothold here," she explained. "But thankfully the Heart of Ransei prevented it from getting even worse than it was. The barrier went up just an hour after the attack began, so there were no fatalities, but there were injured. And a few buildings were damaged as well."

Spray stared for a long while before he turned his gaze back to the monitor.

The section of screen showing Nixtorm was obscured by a snowstorm, but he had an idea. "Computer: Nixtorm Crystal Aura, reading Level Two."

The computer beeped and the screen segment highlighted before zooming in. The screen shone a brilliant white from the snowstorm, but then it faded to darkening blue, small little dots of bluish white milling about. The crystals were represented by those bluish white dots and each dot was a resident of Ransei's Nixtorm kingdom. None of the dots were missing, which made him sigh in relief. "Thank God for that…" he murmured.

He then turned to face the council. "Any idea as to why he launched an attack?"

Radar Harrison shook his head. "No, Spray," he remarked. "But we do have a theory that he was testing our strength, trying to see just what we're capable of. Remember that he's a nutjob now. No emotions to hold him back."

Spray frowned, remembering the Undampening and what the results were. Without emotions, Uxie could do anything he pleased, meaning he wasn't about to hold back. But Ransei had in their possession something that only a Legendary Pokémon had: an Orb of Creation. Having acquired it after the Battle for Dragnor, Ransei had hidden the Orb away within the kingdom of Illusio, selected for the fact that the Heart of Ransei was right above the castle, and therefore able to defend it adequately. The Legendary Council had agreed to allow Ransei possession of the Orb on the condition that it was to be used only as a last resort. And Ransei's Council of Lords had agreed to use it to try and restore Uxie's emotions, but the downside was that they had no idea how to word it correctly. So the Orb remained in safe hands within the kingdom of Illusio for now.

He closed his eyes and clenched his fists, frustration present in his voice. "If only we could figure out the proper wording…"

Harold stood and walked over to the young man, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Kid, we can't expect to use it right away or if at all. The truth is we may never be able to even use the damn thing. I agree it may work, but for now it's out of the question."

Spray nodded, feeling his body relax somewhat. "I just wish that Ho-oh hadn't done this in the first place. And that there was a way to reverse it, or at least dampen the effects…" he murmured.

The older councilor had nothing else to say. He just gave the warlord a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder before he walked back to his seat. "So, what else is new?" he asked.

"Just that things are starting to look up," Ben Kamiya said. "We do have information from our agents inside Unova, which as you know underwent a dramatic change in the last five years." His eyes were narrowed a bit as he said this, a clear indication that he was not that comfortable mentioning the changes.

"As you know Unova's government was dissolved and there were two kingdoms forged from the ashes, each dedicated to one Legendary Dragon Pokémon. There was also a third created as well, this time to Kyurem or whatever the name is. The kingdoms abolished all currency to return to bartering for goods. Not like us, where we created a common currency," Ben reported. "Things are really complicated there, but to be honest, the gist is that they're starting to recover somewhat and creating a new region themselves. We suspect that there might be a mastermind ruling from the shadows, but not out of malice. If anything, they may be trying to create what we have: A society of Pokémon and humans working in unison and living in harmony, but with the Legendary Pokémon in charge."

"And Johto?" Spray asked, his eyes hard as he looked back at the monitor. "Computer: External views: Johto radius, thermal imaging satellites."

The computer responded. The screen showing Nixtorm returned to its spot on the monitor before a series of other windows popped up, each showing Johto's borders. But from there, things got murky and blurry. Even _with_ their satellites.

"Nothing from there, sir," Ben replied as he sat back down. "I only know what I told you."

Spray pursed his lips as he looked over the images. His eyes narrowed as he picked out the spots where cities and towns once stood. "Looks like they're still struggling."

"Think we should give some help?" Kenshi's brother Masami asked. He was the older of the two, with sandy-brown hair and deep green eyes. He was currently in the position of advisor to the warlord, and he was damn good at it, too. "Because if we don't, then we're not setting a good example for others."

Spray hung his head and sighed. "I do agree, but right now we still need to get things under control here. We've got the job mostly done, but until we can firmly isolate the Muk and Grimer from the rest of Ransei, we're not sending aid in the amounts needed."

"So, we're going to be sending what we can," Radar mused.

Spray nodded. "Yeah. That's it." He turned back to face the others of his council. "Get the Council of Lords assembled. We're mobilizing what aid we can."

The others all nodded, feeling relieved at his decision.

* * *

Later that day, Spray made his way down to the labs/medical bay. Off to the side he could see the doctors and engineers working to try and hook another wounded soldier up to one of the new GUNDAM frames. The man was already heavily sedated and mind linked to the machine for the transfer, an Alakazam standing by for assistance. The frame itself was basically complete; it just needed the man's mind and a crystal core to power it up. The chest frame was open and a small compartment was exposed, ready to receive the crystal core.

The engineer in charge walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a box with a shimmering orb inside it: a crystal core. She carefully placed the box down and opened it, slowly lifting out the core before nodding to the Psychic-type. The Pokemon looked to the man at the console and he nodded back. He keyed in the commands and the nodes attached to the wounded soldier's head began to glow. The Alakazam closed its eyes and sent out psychic waves of energy that took the man's mind and channeled it into the wiring leading to the computer and the lifeless frame close by.

The transfer took mere minutes and the engineer then gently set the core inside the frame's chest. The metal coverings closed up, locking and sealing the compartment shut with a hiss of air from the vents on the chest. The man's body finally expired, a last breath escaping the corpse before the heart rate died off. The frame meanwhile was starting to stir, blue optics slowly coming online and green irises coming into focus.

"Spray?"

The warlord jerked his attention away from the window and looked back at the voice's owner.

"Oh, hey dad," Spray said, looking back at the older man. "I... I was just looking at the latest progress here."

Alan Krane nodded. "You doing okay?"

"I guess," Spray mused as he looked back at the medical bay. Already the man was now trying to get used to his new body. "I'm just wondering how long this war will rage on for."

Alan pursed his lips. "Well, that all depends on us and Uxie's plans," he remarked. "But I do know this: We will win somehow. The Heart of Ransei has given us a huge technological advantage."

The warlord chuckled at that. "True. Very true indeed."

"By the way, I heard you plan to send out troops to Johto, is that right?"

"Yeah. It is, Dad. I... I just don't want Ransei to seem like we're not doing our part. But at the same time there's the possibility of internal strife still, despite the Unification," Spray said softly.

Alan stepped closer and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "I know. But you gotta think. Sometimes you gotta do what's right, even if you don't agree with the decision. So I say send those troops. This will show we mean business."

The young man looked at his dad, shocked. "But... What if...?" His voice trailed off.

"Look. I'm no expert, but even I know that sometimes you gotta make a show of force to prove a point. So I say go for it," Alan said with a smile. "If anyone has a problem with how things are here, then they can forget it and get out. Simple as that."

Spray smiled a bit. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Alan smiled back. "So, anything new planned?"

"Aside from the move I got planned, nothing else. But if in terms of expanding the armed forces, I do. After a few more months of expansion, we should be good. And if the construction of the new weapons goes well, we should be ready by the next month for a longer war," Spray said.

Alan nodded. "Okay."

* * *

The medical bay was a madhouse as Spray entered it. He could see wounded getting their injuries set and some doctors and nurses were working on healing up some of their paitent's remaining injuries with their crystals. The energy emitted spurred the body's natural healing processes to work faster, closing up the wounds in a matter of minutes or seconds, depending on the depth and length of the scratch or scrape. He turned and watched a male nurse press his crystal to a soldier's scratched up chest, the energy healing the three gouge marks on his torso. The soldier hissed in pain, but then it died down and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Overall, Spray felt that the Heart of Ransei had given them a better lifestyle and technological edge over those regions controlled by Pokemon now. But it still didn't mean a thing as long as war was still being waged outside the national borders. Don't was now up to them to find a way to end this once and for all.


	3. GUNDAM Mobile Fighter Units

**File # 002**

 **Gun-Utilizing Neurologically Driven Assault Mecha "GUNDAM" class mobile fighters**

 **Type:** Robotic exoskeletons devised for wounded soldiers

 **Weight:** Varies depending on armaments and armor thickness

 **Powerplant:** Ultra-compact crystal energy core

 **Height:** varies from four feet to eight feet, with specialized models standing at eight to ten feet

 **Armament:** Varies according to the pilot's preferences, basic armaments equipped to each GUNDAM frame: beam saber, shield, and thruster pack.

 **Range:** Unlimited

 **Armor:** Varies in thickness according to pilot's preferences

 **Countermeasures:** Varies, but all have basic smokescreen and chaff capabilities; aerial models also have flares equipped

* * *

 **NOTES:**

The Gun Utilizing Neurologically Driven Assault Mecha otherwise known as GUNDAM were developed as a means to allow wounded soldiers to continue the fight, but at a steep price and cost: the soldier's mind is permanently embedded within the CPU of the machine. The reason for this came about when a wounded soldier had his mind mistakenly transferred via his Alakazam's psychic powers into an exoskeleton shell. The shell had no one inside it to control it, which made us think it was haunted until the soldier was able to communicate with us. When the discovery was made, the High Command of Ransei decided to implement a program to allow the wounded the chance to continue the fight if they were willing to sacrifice their humanity for a better world and a more peaceful future.

This was met with extreme controversy by the public, with many claiming it was a means by the government to enslave and bind us to the will of the Order of Ragnarok.

But it was far from it.

Instead it was a means to combat the Order and their followers. The GUNDAM frames were able to withstand direct combat against their Pokémon, thereby turning many away from their conspiracy theories and more in favor of the program's overall objective. It paved the way for a series of specialized and customized GUNDAM units, along with more common units for overall combat.

But in order to allow for sustained combat operations, a suitable power source was needed, and engines and batteries were not going to cut it. So we turned to a new concept of power: the crystal energy core. While not perfect, it does allow for sustained combat ops. The crystal core itself is charged using the Heart of Ransei and then inserted into the frame. The frame then slowly siphons its power to be used for charging energy shields, generating thrust, or overall movement. But there is a downside: if the "pilot" pushes their "suit" too hard, the core tends to overheat and cause a meltdown of vital circuits needed to keep them alive.

The "pilot", before transfer, is allowed to customize their unit according to their wishes, and then their mind is transferred psychically into the blank CPU. The mind is then digitized and transformed into software, allowing the soldier to live on in a robotic frame.

GUNDAM units have a wide array of uses, ranging from medical treatment to mine clearance and disposal, as well as dealing with toxic environments generated by the Muk and Grimer. The units still suffer damage, but the loss of life is limited only by the pilots' desire to get out. The GUNDAM Soldiers, as they are known, are highly efficient combat operatives, capable of dealing one-on-one with Ho-oh and Uxie's Pokémon forces at will. Our air force has been augmented with these units working alongside our fighter jets and bombers. They also have an advantage where our conventional forces do not: fighting in tight spaces.

Conventional tank warfare is limited to open spaces, which means that in woods their barrels are useless. GUNDAM Soldiers can often offset this advantage with their ability to fight inside the tree cover, and even in the close confines of cities in other regions, like Kalos and even Johto and Unova. The durable frames of these units allow them to be able to fight even in hostile terrain such as near volcanic mountains and blizzard-like conditions on top of the mountains.

But, being mechanical in nature, the GUNDAM Soldiers are prone to having their electrical systems shorted out by Electric Type Pokémon. So it is advised that all GUNDAM Soldiers are to run upon seeing an Electric Type, and to not engage at any cost.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"The GUNDAM frames are highly effective in urban combat situations." - Brigadier General Phillips "Pyrotech" Anderson, 45th Demolition Corps

"The only real downside to these frames is the lack of any ability to swim." - First Lieutenant Drake "Iceberg" Franklin, 3rd Marines

"Real deal combat in those things is a much better situation in harsh environments. I'd rather have that kind of a soldier than organic ones any day." - General Briggs Wallis, 37th Armored Corps

"Damn Church freaks think they got us because we're too soft! Well we'll show 'me with these frames!" - Private First Class Danny "Gabby" Whitmore, 3rd Army Group

* * *

 **Viperia Ruins, June 14, YDR 5**

The lights flickered in the dim mists generated by the Muk and Grimer, their sinister forms oozing along the ground. All around them, they could barely see the outline of the buildings, remnants of the kingdom of Viperia. The leader of the team studied the area with a steely determination, scoping out the area. His body was tense, the hiss of the acidic water dripping down the sides of the building they huddled behind reaching his hearing. He inched away from it, waving with a hand at his team to follow. Slowly, one by one, they made their way further into the kingdom's remains, their mission clear to each and every one of them: to get the data concerning the location of the missile silos.

Rotting corpses seethed beneath the Muk and Grimer devouring them and every now and then one of them jerked as if it were coming back to life, but that was in no way the case. Some of them even had their flesh wiggling as some Muk devoured the internal organs first, saving the flesh for last. It made him sick and he was grateful for the lack of a gag reflex. The leader suddenly held out a hand, and the entire team halted. He pointed to the nearest street, and then himself before motioning to the rest and holding a hand out, indicating that he was to go on alone while they waited for his signal.

They nodded and the team leader turned, creeping down the street as silently and slowly as he dared. The heavy footsteps he made were sure to get the attention of the Muk, not by sound, but due to the vibrations they could sense through the ground. He made sure to move as slowly as he could to reduce the vibrations. The heavy frame was awkward by most standards, but to him, it felt as natural as his original body did. He reveled in the very sensations, the way his hydraulics moved, the energy humming in his circuits, and the faint pulsing of his energy core.

The leader poked around, flicking on the headlights mounted on his helmet and he inched forward, his "Bullet Seed" Gatling gun held at the ready. His hands clenched the trigger, ready to release a spray of bullets if he was found out, not that they'd be even remotely effective against the Poison-type. In fact, the only weapon that was proven to be highly effective against them was the "Ice Beam" freeze cannon carried by the Black Ops forces. It made his circuits pulse with anger as he recalled his plea to be outfitted with one such cannon being rejected on the grounds that it was too expensive to build too many. So he had to make do with what he had.

He gripped the gun in both hands and looked around, his blue optics flashing as he shifted his gaze left and right. His audios failed to pick up any signs he had been detected; all he could hear were the Muk and Grimer gulping and swallowing their gruesome dinner. He shuddered, his plated "Battle Armor" Kevlar-composite armor rattling ever so slightly. The Muk and Grimer didn't even hear it.

That brought some hope to him and he felt the familiar feeling of relief flood his frame, his tense joints and hydraulics easing off the tension. He looked around before darting from the cover of a corroding dumpster towards an overturned car, the stench failing to permeate his faceplate to his olfactory sensors. Even had it done so, it wouldn't have mattered much anyway because he didn't need to eat. Although the stench would have made him gag regardless of what body he now wore. He ducked behind the vehicle, his frame shuddering from the sight of a deceased corpse within, the rotting flesh falling off the skeleton.

He peeped out, his finely tuned sensors picking up a Grimer heading his way to feast on the flesh of the victim within the car. He got to his feet and ran as quietly as he could to another building and ducked inside. No one was in here, let alone any Grimer or Muk. Other Poison-types were not so lucky, he grimly reflected as he looked back out the melted window. Most had fled as soon as the Muk and Grimer made their appearance in the kingdom, but some were not able to get out, and they, along with the majority of the people here, had become food for the sickly purple globs.

He was forced back from his trip down memory lane to the situation at hand when he heard something like an oozing sound coming from the wall closest to him. He gripped the gun and backed up, his mind racing as he looked around, trying to find a place to hide or a way out.

But alas, there was no spot to hide. The shelves had long since been corroded by the large amount of acid now in the air. It was only thanks to enhanced filtration systems that his systems were not starting to become tainted by the immense amount of toxicity in the air. He felt grateful to the man who had designed these frames to begin with.

The wall suddenly seemed to melt and distort as he looked back, his hand flying for the gun's handle and lifting it up to chest level. His finger squeezed the trigger before the Muk even finished melting through the wall. The bullets sped out at a rate that was comparable to Bullet Seed, hence the name of the gun. The barrels whirred as the gun's ammo splattered against the Muk, causing not pain, but rage to flitter across its face. The Poison-type growled and lashed out a hand, but he dove to the side, reaching back onto his side and grasping a single egg-shaped device with a blue casing: the Freeze Grenade.

Using a small bit of gunpowder and a crushed up Ice Stone, the Freeze Grenade was supposedly able to freeze anything solid in the same vicinity of the explosion, but it could only be used as a last resort because no one knew if it would really work. His frame rattled a bit as he pulled the pin, priming the grenade. He clenched his fist around it and threw it with all his might, the explosive charge slamming into the Muk's slimy body. He didn't even hesitate or wait to stick around. He turned and bolted out the ruined window in a flash, his heavy feet pounding the poisonous pavement. He could feel the acid eating away at his frame, but he didn't care.

The grenade exploded ten seconds later, the blast wave striking him in the back and sending him sprawling along the road, his gun clattering a good distance from his hand. He lay on his back, gasping through his filtered faceplate to try and get some air into his intakes. He managed to push himself into a sitting position and looked back at the storefront: the window was frozen shut, a sheet of ice spikes sticking out.

He let out a sigh as he got to his feet and staggered towards his gun; the blast had apparently messed up his stabilizing systems. He wobbled a bit as he regained his balance. He slowly knelt and grasped the gun, lifting it up and hefting it in his grasp. He looked over his shoulder at the storefront before running off, not even wanting to wait and see what was going to happen.

He reached an intersection and looked around, his optics scanning left and right, his scanners picking up the sounds and forms of Muk and Grimer as they slouched their way through the streets. He inched closer to one of the corroding cars, ducking behind it and looking out from underneath as a group of the Poison-types inched past, their bodies giving off that deadly miasma of poison that caused so much death. He shuddered a bit, his armor plating clattering ever so slightly.

Thankfully none of the Pokémon heard it, so he was glad for that. At least until one of them spotted him. He stood up and ran for it, sliding into a department store that had half of its merchandise eaten or wasted away by the acid in the very air. He looked around, his sensors going at max capacity. ' _So far so good. No Muk or Grimer in the area…_ ' he thought as he lowered his sensors' range. He inched forward towards the door and peeked out. The purplish haze concealed most of the buildings in the distance, and he shuddered a bit at how similar it was to the post-apocalyptic visions Ransei's movie culture had cultivated over the last fifty years. But now… it was the real deal.

His audios suddenly picked something up and he whirled, his body pivoting on the spot as he aimed his gun and fired, sending bullets rocketing right towards the closest building and stitching a path through the corroded steel structure. The building didn't collapse, but the rubble that the bullets dislodged did land in the streets and block them off; not that the Muk cared. They just began to surge right over it.

He didn't waste any time sticking around as he prepared to ignite his engines, only to hesitate as he recalled the briefing before the mission. He swore to himself as he did the next best thing and started to run, using the powerful hydraulics within his legs to leap up, springing off a building's surface and landing on one of the exposed top floors of another. He looked down, sighing in relief now that he had evaded detection. A quick glance at his Heads-Up-Display showed the percentage of his frame's structural integrity and he was relieved to see that his body's structural integrity was at eighty-five percent. He shot a quick glance down the building's façade and grumbled when he saw a Muk beginning to eat its way through the door; hopefully looking for a meal inside, and not him.

He didn't want to take a chance though and quickly leapt from the exposed upper floor to a balcony, landing with a clang of metal on metal before slipping in through a window as a Muk looked up.

Once inside, he found himself panting a bit as his armor shook with the equivalent of adrenaline rushing through his circuits and frame. ' _That was a close one!_ ' he thought as he peeked at the map on his HUD.

A small orb flashing blue indicated his position while a whole plot of sinister red orbs indicated the Muk and Grimer prowling the city streets. His position, according to the real-time satellites, was close to the ruins of the palace of Viperia, which was a good thing. That meant he had covered the distance from the entry point to the objective in only forty-five minutes. He looked out, noting the sinister shapes inching towards the location of the palace, and he frowned mentally. The downside to having such a strong and powerful frame was the lack of physical expressions, but that was easily made up by a rather creative bit of programming done by the leading techheads in Ransei: their eyescreens could display different expressions to convey what their faces could not, and the advanced eye-like optical sensors could also convey expressions in some way.

' _Seems to me like there might be something going on there. And perhaps it might have to do with the need to find the data on those missile silos here,_ ' he thought as he stood up and ran for the doorway. He kicked open the rotting frame and emerged into the mist-enshrouded hallway.

The darkness seemed to press in on him, and he shuddered a bit before adjusting his optics for dim lighting and night vision. Holding his gun at the ready, he began walking, using his sensors to detect pitfalls and holes in the flooring. It took some careful footwork to make it to the stairs. He opened the door and slipped onto the landing before walking up a flight to the rooftop. He creaked the metallic door open, only for it to get stuck due to the warping of the hinges. Grumbling, he adjusted his body and shoved his frame against the door, bashing it open.

Now he could see the ruins of the palace in the distance.

To merely look at it sent shivers racing down his frame. To him, it looked like something that only the most demented horror writer could come up with, and even then it was indescribable. It fell out of the vocabulary of many who had seen it on their last days in this wasteland. And he wasn't about to be one of them.

He looked towards the area where his team was waiting for him, and he heard a few clicks in his audio from his comm system.

Quickly he replied back via Morse code before he tentatively opened up the comm line.

" _Bruce? What's taking so long?_ " a female voice asked.

First Lieutenant Bruce Willis of the Ransei Defense Forces' First Armored Division sighed, putting a hand to where the bridge of his nose would be if he were still human. "Stacy, it's not as easy as it looks!" he hissed in a whisper. "Muk and Grimer are all over the palace, which is gonna make it difficult even for me to slip inside, and that's saying something considering the frame I've got."

His second in command, Corporal Stacy Lutgenz, grumbled a bit under her breath.

"I know what the objective is, but this takes time!" the lieutenant remarked as he looked up and peeped over the edge of the rooftop. "Just give me forty five minutes and I'll be back! I promise!"

" _You'd better be! Because we have a time limit. When our frames hit fifty percent we bail, remember?_ " Lutgenz snapped.

He nodded. "I got it, Stace. I got it."

The lieutenant cut the line and turned, fixing his gaze back on the ruined structure in the distance. "Okay. Here goes nothing…" he muttered.

He took in a breath and let it out, clenching his fists a few times before he hefted his gun and leapt off the rooftop, landing on the poisonous ground and running for the edge of the palace boundaries. His optics flicked over the damaged exterior and noticed at once that parts of it were literally a melting mess. He grimaced to himself in his mind before he shook his head. He grunted as he leapt over a corroding car and ran for the palace steps. He wasn't too surprised to see the half-eaten decomposing bodies of the people who once lived here, and the corpses of Pokémon once native to this part of the region. What he was surprised at though were the large number of war machines parked around the entrance, almost all of them having been demolished by Gunk Shot or other Poison-type attacks.

He was stunned at this development, and against his better judgement, he walked up to one of the tanks and leapt up on top, prying off the warped hatch not even a moment later. Inside he caught a brief whiff of the dead body and he, despite being in a mechanical body, swore he felt like he would vomit, which was supposed to be impossible. But considering the stench's potency, it made sense in a way.

He jerked his head away at the first whiff, his eyes closing as he winced. "Man! That's nasty!" he grumbled.

Once he was sure the stench had been muffled somewhat by the stink of poison in the air, he looked back at the dead body and reached into the tank at seeing what appeared to be a journal of sorts. The body's clothing was decaying, but the badges of rank, although tarnished, were enough to reveal that this guy had been the commanding officer of the Viperia Army before the Week of Hell. Lieutenant Willis's metal hand brushed against the corpse of the deceased man, and his tactile sensors registered the sensation of melting flesh on his hand. He made a noise of disgust and shook his hand before he reached in with his other and grabbed the book, trying his best to avoid the body.

Once he had it, he pulled it out and studied it.

Due to the fact it had been kept within the confines of a tank for several years, it wasn't all that surprising to see it largely intact. The only real signs of damage were the tears along the edges of the book's pages and the cover was starting to mold and fall apart. Willis shifted a bit and pried it open, crouching beside the wrecked tank.

 _August 20_

 _There's no end to this madness. The king has ordered all armed forces to head to the palace to mount a defense. I have grave doubts about the whole operation. Despite the palace being heavily reinforced to protect against Poison-type Pokémon and their attacks, the sudden emergence of Muk and Grimer from the sewer system has made things much more difficult. The entire kingdom is now suffering because of their chemical makeup, and the people and Pokémon are either fleeing or dying._

 _Fourteen of my men died today. Each and every one of them was eaten from the inside out by Muk or Grimer. I… I witnessed Zubat devour the blood and bodies of several women and children… This is not a battle… It's a war… And this is not a defense._

 _It's a last stand._

 _Regardless, we gave our word to the king we would fight to our dying breath._

 _I highly doubt any of us will be alive to live or even tell the tale. If that is the case, then all has been for naught._

 _Those fools of the Church were right. Doomsday_ is _upon us all._

 _I only hope that someone can help end it._

 _August 21_

 _This is it. The operation has commenced. Operation Redoubt is now in effect. But we can only hold out for so long. Half my troops are dead and/or dying. Each minute the Muk and Grimer continue to get closer, and I can see the stout palace walls starting to warp from the poison in the atmosphere around it. Even our tanks are taking damage from this stuff._

 _Guns and explosives are useless here. We're resorting to hand to hand, and that is not effective at all against them. We're only stalling for time, and even then we can only do so much. We've managed to create a barricade with our tanks, but it won't do any good. They'll just slither right over us, dissolving us as they go._

 _August 22_

 _It's over._

 _The palace is no more._

 _The Muk and Grimer have destroyed it._

 _I am the only one left in the entire kingdom. For some reason I was spared destruction, even though my tank was part of the initial blockade. I can only wonder what the Lord has planned for me._

 _Regardless, I have written everything down to chronicle and remember it. I can only last for so long holed up in here. My air will run out soon. I shut off the engine to conserve the air supply. So I will write down what I can while I have the time._

 _Operation Redoubt was a success and a failure as well. We succeeded in buying the king and his consorts enough time to flee the palace with plans unknown to another region. But we failed in saving what little remains of the royal archives consisting of weapons and war plans. The Muk and Grimer have no use for such plans considering they themselves are weapons of destruction._

 _I lost contact with the king hours ago._

 _I only wonder what his plans are…_

 _Anyway, the king's final orders were simple: to record what I could before I died. So, I have. There is a flash drive concealed within the tank underneath my body in the boot of my left foot. Take it. That flash drive holds the plans for reclamation of the world from this… genocidal maniac. Yes, I knew who was behind it. These plans must fall into the right hands. Only with the right people and resources can these plans come into fruition. But it requires outside help. And for that to happen, Ransei must unite under one banner._

 _Ransei must become the light in the world's darkest hour._

 _That time is now._

 _Long live Ransei._

 _Long live Lumina._

Willis was stunned. He slowly closed the journal and looked around before he grimaced mentally. He shuddered at the thought of what he was about to do, but considering how the whole world was at war, there was nothing moral anymore about this. He steeled himself and plunged his hand back into the cockpit of the tank, grabbing the rotting flesh of the leg and pulling with his full strength.

The melting flesh gave way and he groaned in disgust at the sound of parting flesh. He pulled out the leg from below the knee and grasped the boot, pulling it off and looking inside. A small hinge near the heel caught his eye and he reached a hand in, pulling up a small metallic plate. Inside the heel was a small flash drive, tucked neatly out of sight.

He acted quickly, grabbing it and removing it before opening a small storage compartment on his side armor and stuffing both the flash drive and journal inside before closing it. He let out a sigh before he turned and dumped the rotting limb to the ground.

The lieutenant shot a glance at the display showing his frame's structural integrity on his HUD before he noticed that it was starting to creep into the red zone. Grumbling under his breath, he turned and ran back the way he had come, slipping and sliding over corpses and sludge.

Now he had to get back to the rendezvous.

* * *

 **Aurora Command, June 14, YDR 5**

 **Auroros**

The Fearow tilt=rotor aircraft circled in, the lights on its wings flashing as the air traffic control tower registered them and sent back a reply. The ungainly aircraft wasn't the most graceful, but it was the most practical given its capability to land and take off like a helicopter. And while it looked bulky, it was surprisingly nimble for a tilt-rotor. And this feat served it well as it came upon the glowing blue orb hovering right above the kingdom of Aurora.

The orb was not just any glowing energy orb. It was an ancient and very powerful source of energy used by Ransei thousands of years ago, only now reborn into the modern era. The name of this crystal-like sphere was the Heart of Ransei, and some speculated, possibly an ancient force from beyond the stars. Hidden long ago to keep it out of enemy hands, the Heart of Ransei was split into seventeen different fragments, each carefully placed in hidden caverns deep within the kingdoms. Only five years ago during the Undampening did it come back into existence due to the Psychic Backlash generated by the Psychic-types and the Links within the land shattering the fragments and releasing the essence of the crystal itself.

Whatever its origins though, one thing was certain: it was an excellent source of power for their GUNDAM and MECHA units. The core crystals they gathered from the kingdom of Illusio, and by inserting them into the Heart of Ransei briefly, a charge was transferred into the core before it was removed. The charge, at least according to guesswork and speculation, would allow the core crystal to power the GUNDAM frame in which it was inserted for years before it needed a recharge. So far the results were promising, but only time would tell if it really worked or not.

As the tilt-rotor came into view, the pilot looked down at the aircraft field below next to the command center. He spotted the designated landing zone and brought the craft in for a landing, tilting the rotors to face 90 degrees and touching down shortly after.

The command center was a bustling madhouse by the time the "Fearow" tilt-rotor's back ramp opened. The seven-man team exited the craft via the rear ramp, each of them stopping at a decontamination station. They each passed through it, the intense chemicals scrubbing any trace of Muk and Grimer poison from their metallic frames. The lieutenant, being the first one in, was the last one out.

His metal frame gleamed with a glossy sheen under the lights and droplets of water and chemicals still clung to his armor here and there. He reached a hand up and saluted as the commander approached, his green eyes looking over the seven of them. His uniform was immaculately pressed, and his sandy blonde hair was neat, albeit a bit messy at the bottom. "Sir, mission accomplished!"

Commander Brian Jennings nodded. "I take it you retrieved the location of the missile silos?"

Lieutenant Willis nodded. "Yes, sir. And we also gathered some more information that may be of use."

He immediately launched into a detailed account of his finding the tanks and the journal, along with the flash drive. The commander's eyes widened as he took this in. Willis then removed the journal and flash drive, placing them in the commander's metallic-gloved hands. Commander Jennings proceeded to open the journal and he skimmed it, his eyes widening a bit more at the entry. He shot a glance at the flash drive in shock.

"You're sure of this?" he asked.

Willis nodded. "Yes, sir."

The commander looked at him directly. "You may have just given us a bit of intelligence that we've been looking for this whole time," he muttered.

The lieutenant saluted and walked off, leaving a stunned commander behind.

The man looked back at the flash drive, his eyes narrowing a bit as he contemplated the GUNDAM Soldiers and the advantages they gave to the Ransei Defense Forces. Normally he wasn't for such a thing considering how it effectively turned humans into machines with no prospect of reversal. But he did have to admit there were times he was grateful for the fact that without them, the Ransei Defense Forces would've collapsed months ago. He wasn't a big fan of the whole GUNDAM Project to begin with, but he did have to admit it was a useful program. And it allowed soldiers to fight on by sacrificing their frail organic bodies to fight one on one with either the Order of Ragnarok or Ho-oh and Uxie's forces.

He sighed as he closed his eyes. Maybe having the GUNDAM Soldiers wasn't so bad after all, especially if they brought back something as vital as this…


	4. LGM-X-270 Draco Meteor

**File # 003**

 **LGM-X-270 'DRACO METEOR' Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)**

 **Type:** Land-based silo-launched intercontinental ballistic missile

 **Weight:** 88,450 kg (missile only)

 **Dimensions:** 21.8 m (height), 2.3 m (width)

 **Propulsion:** three-stage solid fuel rocket, fourth stage storable hypergolic liquid propellant (most likely a 50-50 mix of hydrazine and UDMH as fuel with N2O4 oxidizer)

 **Guidance:** Inertial (Advanced Inertial Reference Sphere (AIRS))

 **Performance:** Speed: about 24,000 kph; range: about 9600 km; operating ceiling: 1,120 km; throw weight: 10,000 lbs. at max

 **Payload:** up to 10 W87 warheads in MK21 MIRVs of 300 kT. Warhead combinations may vary depending on circumstances and situation

* * *

 **NOTES:**

The LGM-X-270 'Draco Meteor' Intercontinental Ballistic Missile is perhaps the most potent weapon the HLC has at this moment. Initially developed as a part of the inter-kingdom Cold War in Ransei, this superweapon has proven to be useful as a deterrent when it comes to facing down Ho-oh's forces. This deterrence is what has kept Ransei and several smaller, surrounding regions free from Ho-oh's wrath.

Working with Dr. Kaminko on the "Arceus" ballistic missile gave us an idea of what we wanted to do with the missiles we currently had in development and storage. Using the research gleaned from this, we took one of the missiles in storage and modified it to be able to travel farther than the kingdoms around us. The resulting missile was much more powerful than was intended, as a testing done on an abandoned island showed when half of the vegetation and several buildings constructed for observation were destroyed by the shockwaves alone. The missile's payload consisted solely of High Explosive warheads, but the damage was much more widespread as a result of the missile's ability to disperse its multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle payloads over a wide range.

The variety of warheads that can be mounted is staggering, ranging from simple High Explosive warheads all the way to nuclear warheads, including a rather unconventional weapon: tungsten rods for kinetic kill weaponry. The combination of warheads can be enormous, making this missile a weapon suited for many, if not all, scenarios involving large armies of Pokémon. (It can even be used in some other situations, but the Ransei Council has to authorize its use.)

The most lethal of these warheads is not a nuclear weapon, but rather the tungsten rods used for kinetic kills. Its high melting point of 3422 degrees Celsius allows the rod to withstand atmospheric reentry, allowing it to become a ballistic weapon in its own right, the impact being enough to destroy a highly defended base or well-built bunker. The force of the impact usually destroys the area of target, wiping out any bases underground and uprooting them from the sheer force of the shockwaves and heat generated by the impact of the rod. The rod's rigid form and natural toughness ensures that it delivers the utmost of its destructive power upon impact with the ground or facility directly.

The release mechanism for the rods is rather ingenious as it takes into account the warhead containment ports on the missile itself. The rods, once inserted, are slowly "spun up" to allow for even heating across the entire surface during reentry. As the missile is launched, a targeting computer slowly adjusts the containment ports ever so slightly to allow the rods to impact their targets once released. The containment ports for each missile have been extensively modified to allow for this to work as the tungsten rods have no means of controlling where they will land once in reentry. Once at the apex of its climb and prior to descent, the missile releases the rods via slight bursts of gas to allow them to start reentry. The rest falls to gravity, and luck in most cases. But more often than not, these rods have been an asset, and only twice have their been failures due to miscalculated reentry times or software failures.

The rods' impacts have often been used against heavily fortified constructions manned by hostile Pokémon.

One instance of tungsten rods being used for taking out enemy facilities was during a raid on one of Uxie's cloning labs located in the mountains of Almia. The facility was built into one of the mountains and as such was impervious to pretty much anything the HLC could throw at it. Not even a Hyper Beam could deliver a significant impact to it. The only way to really destroy it was to either use a nuke or send in a special ops team to dismantle the base from the inside.

Yet that last option was out of the question. Uxie's forces would have destroyed the special ops team. So Ransei provided the solution a few months after the lab was discovered.

The Ransei military launched the Draco Meteor ICBM two days later. The attack was ultimately a success, wiping out the base and a significant amount of mountain and land with just two rods, one after another. The dual rods ensured that nothing of the base remained, although the Pokémon manning the facility evacuated long before the rods slammed into the mountain face.

Other warhead varieties will be covered in later files.

Video footage of the test is embedded in this file.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Draco Meteor. An apt name." - General Lucas "Lock-on" Green, 18th Missile Command

"Hundreds of these things... Isn't it a bit much?" - Warlord Seki Najima, Yaksha Kingdom

"Hope this deterrent is enough..." - Captain Hunter "Lion" Harris, 3rd Missile Wing

"We have to make hard choices. Using these things is one of them." - Supreme Warlord Steven "Spray" Krane, Aurora Kingdom

* * *

-Live Feed-

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-Camera #1-

* _Dr. Hendricks is shown outside the capital of the United Kingdoms of Ransei. He looks a bit haggard as his face is pale and he has dark circles under his blue eyes. His brown hair is a mess as he looks down at the clipboard in his hands. The camera shifts to show the clipboard's contents, a mishmash scribble of notes and a diagram of a missile with all parts labeled. He looks up._ *

"Hey! Don't look!" * _He covers the clipboard with his hands._ *

"Sir, is this even really necessary?" * _A soldier comes into view and nods at the cameraman._ *

* _The doctor nods, his hand flying for his forehead and wiping away the sweat. It is over eighty degrees outside._ * "Yes. We need to get an idea of what this missile is capable of."

* _The cameraman shifts his grip on the camera, moving it to his left shoulder before zooming in on the distant ocean. His voice is heard as he looks at the doctor._ * "Doctor, I'm actually a bit worried about what Lugia will say when he finds out what we've created. What if he condemns us for such a weapon?"

"He won't… not after that last attack Ho-oh pulled on Kanto." * _Dr. Hendricks is dead serious as he eyes the coast beyond Aurora's borders. His eyes are hard as he looks back at the camera._ * "This will prove that we're not some measly insects that deserve to be wiped out. We're fighting to the very end for this world. And if Ho-oh has a problem with it, he can go fuck himself."

* _The camera is shifted before it pivots to look at one of the other technicians; she snorts a bit._ * "That crazy chicken has no idea what he's done. This war of his is nothing more than genocide. And after what we've been through, we're not about to allow this to continue. That's why we're doing this, right, doctor?"

* _Dr. Hendricks nods, looking at the notes on his clipboard as the camera points at his face. His eyes are glazed a bit as he rolls his shoulders. He merely nods at the techie's comment. He is silent as he lifts up some of the papers, going over notes as he checks them against other notes._ * "That's exactly right, Lina. Humans can do so much more. And we're going to prove to him and his "men" that we _can_ live side by side with Pokémon." * _The scene turns as the camera locks onto what appears to be a large mound on the ground. But this mound hides a deadly secret._ *

"Sir, we're ready to begin the test." * _Dr. Hendricks looks over and his eyes widen a bit as he sees the general in command of this operation walks up. His eyes are hard as he stops in front of the scientist. He smiles in obvious relief._ *

"General Erikson. I take it you checked everything over?" * _The general nods as he looks the scientist in the eyes. He brushes off a bit of dust that blows onto his uniform as he turns and looks back at the mound._ *

* _He steps closer and finally salutes. He is dead serious though as he drops the salute and looks out at the ocean, grabbing a pair of hi-powered binoculars and lifting them to his eyes. The cameraman shifts the camera's lens in that direction and zooms in on what appears to be a small speck in the distance. It's too far to make out any details._ * "We've got everything all set for the test. All the structures have been built and sensors have been installed across the location. A naval destroyer is standing by to observe the effects of this exercise."

* _Dr. Hendricks nods as he faces the general, the cameraman resuming real time recording._ * "Good. The test will begin in fifteen minutes. Everyone is to get back as far as possible. Even though the distance is great, there is the chance the shockwave may hit us, so we'd better be prepared."

* _The cameraman steps back as his voice is heard._ * "You sure this will work?"

* _Dr. Hendricks nods, his face suddenly seeming older than it really is. His shoulders seem to sag, as if he is burdened by something. His eyes take on a haunted look and he turns to face the cameraman directly._ * "Yes. It has to work. Or else the world will be overrun and humans will exist only as scavengers and savages or as slaves. We _need_ to have this work! It's our only bet at keeping the Pokémon Ho-oh has at his command at bay!"

* _The cameraman shifts before he shuts his camera down._ *

* * *

-No Cameras-

The scene was a mess as the technicians went to work on prepping the weapon hidden underground for launch. The team checked over the launch data and began to gather near the command center where the launch controllers were starting to input the coordinates for the island just off the coast of Ransei. Wires and cables led from the command center into a hatch nearby, snaking underground and through a maze of tunnels and conduits leading to an underground chamber.

The chamber was none other than a missile silo, the same kind used to house nuclear missiles. But there was a secret about this particular silo, and others like it scattered across the region: these were built to house a specific type of missile that could travel farther and faster than any other type developed by the Human-Legendary Coalition to date. The missile in question was none other than the Draco Meteor Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, a missile developed during the inter-kingdom Cold War within Ransei as a short range tactical missile for sending small-scale nuclear bombs to the kingdoms around them. But its size held much more potential than just with nuclear bombs.

The technicians gathered close to the missile to check the payload, which consisted solely of High Explosive (HE) warheads for the test launch. A few even checked over on the fuel supply and confirmed that the missile was set to go.

They turned and bolted out of the silo's launch chamber, closing up the doors and heading for the command center located aboveground.

While they made their way up to the surface, the reporters, scientists, engineers, researchers, and military personnel all headed away from the launch site to a command bunker located back a good fifteen hundred meters. The command center was situated much closer, and as such, was built to take the heat of the engines needed for the missile to launch. The command bunker was designed to solely observe the launch and the resulting impact on the island, so it had powerful cameras located across the roof and a satellite link was established so they could view the impact from space as well.

This was to determine how much damage could be inflicted with the weapon.

A few people scrambled onto trucks that took them back to the bunker and some headed for the hills to observe the test. One of the reporters turned and looked back, his eyes narrowing at the location of the island. He still couldn't believe that this was even happening. In truth, it kind of scared him that humanity was now getting more powerful, and what the result could be if the war was not ended quickly.

One of his coworkers nudged him.

"Hey, Jack? You okay?" she asked.

Jack Norris snapped out of his thoughts and looked back to face his coworker. "Oh, sorry, Paulina. I… I was just distracted…" he muttered.

Paulina Madison snorted, but brushed it aside as she grabbed a pair of goggles and handed them to him. "Here. It's for safety reasons."

Jack took the goggles and put them on his head. He adjusted them before he turned back to the man sitting next to him. General Richard Erikson was in his late fifties, yet he was still as muscular as he had been in his youth thirty years ago. His eyes were a hard brown color and his brown hair was turning silver with age. He wore his uniform as crisp as he had after boot camp, and he adjusted the helmet on his head. The crystal shard he wore around his neck glimmered faintly against the dark material of his combat vest. The one vice that was apparent was that he liked to smoke cigars, as evident by an unlit one perched in his mouth. "Sir, do you mind us asking a few questions about this project?" he asked.

The general looked at Jack and blinked in surprise. "Why? So you can broadcast it to the world?" he snapped.

"No!" Jack protested, waving his hands. "Just to broadcast to Ransei! You know we got the encryptions!"

General Erikson snorted. "I remember that. But Uxie's way too damn smart to let some encryption stop him!"

"Still, just for record purposes, would you be willing to answer?" Jack asked, looking at the notebook he carried with him. "You know, for future generations should this war go downhill for us."

The old general looked down, folding his arms across his chest as the truck bounced over the roads towards the command center located within Fontaine's borders. He chewed on the cigar he had in his mouth before he sighed. "All right." He looked over at the reporter. "But only for record purposes!"

Jack nodded. "Right. So, for the first question, what can you tell me about the missile itself? I mean, most people already know what it is, but how exactly did this particular variant come about?"

General Erikson closed his eyes. "Well, as you know, the inter-kingdom Cold War was starting to get more and more volatile with newer and newer weapons being developed," he said. "The Draco Meteor was the only chance there was to prevent a nuclear war from brewing. We had over five thousand nukes _per kingdom_ in storage, and the means to deliver them swiftly. But it wasn't enough. So the Draco Meteor came about as a deterrent to spread nuclear devastation over a wide radius."

He opened his eyes. "But when shit went down and the Apocalypse hit, it soon became apparent that we needed a means to fight back after Ransei was united. The weapons we had were indeed effective, but not to the extent that we had hoped. So the Council decided to send others abroad in an attempt to seek out newer and more advanced weapons plans." The general looked back at Dr. Hendricks as he sat in the back of the same truck they were in. "Our ultimate breakthrough came when we worked alongside the scientists working on the 'Arceus' missile project. We finally had the tech and skill needed to modify our own missiles."

"And that led to the ICBMs we have today," Jack said.

The man nodded as he looked back at the trees rushing past their truck. "Yes. And as for what this means for us, it means we have an advantage that Ho-oh is sorely pressed for. In short, he knows he can't win without a nuke or a bunch of them being thrown his way." He turned back as Jack finished scribbling in his notebook.

"Anything else you want to add?"

The general just shrugged and looked away. "One thing that I do want to add is that no matter what happens, we need to be prepared as much as possible, which is clearly not entirely possible depending on the circumstances. Uxie's a damn too smart for his own good, and that big bird of his isn't a slouch, either. If I'm right, then there will be a time when Uxie does overthrow that overgrown chicken. And then we'll have a _real_ threat on our hands." His voice was grim as he said this.

Jack fell silent, stunned at his words. But that was as far as he got for the trucks pulled up in front of the command center. The group hopped out and made their way down into the bunker, the thick steel doors closing behind them and locking. They all gathered into the main room where they were to observe the launch and impact on the island further out to sea.

General Erikson looked over the controls and the two missile technicians. He nodded once and they grasped the twin keys in their hands.

* * *

Outside the bunker, the silo's doors opened, the large missile slowly poking its nose out into the air. The gleaming silver body stood out amidst the rocky terrain of Ignis' main borders. Thick steam coiled from beneath it, a sign of imminent ignition. The people gathered on the sidelines backed up as Warriors partnered with Psychic-type Pokémon ordered them to throw up Light Screens and Barriers to keep the heat and force of the flames at bay. Cameras were pointed at the missile, footage beaming back via satellite to the Ransei Communications Commission.

-Camera No. 35-

* _The entire launch site is humming with activity as the camera angles directly onto the missile. Its full height of 21.8 meters stands against the silo doors, which are a mere ten meters in height when opened. The large construct is slowly being prepped for launch. People scurry about as they check, double check, and triple check the systems for ignition and for detonation. It's only five minutes until countdown._ *

* * *

 **T-Minus 05:00...**

* _The camera adjusts the lens as the steam starts to increase, small sparks starting to emit from the nozzles at the bottom. The people start to scurry back to their designated watch zones. People are ordered to drop their goggles in case the explosion is far more powerful than anticipated. The camera turns to adjust the angle to follow the trajectory of the missile's path, zooming in on the island farther out to sea. The screen fizzles as it goes dark._ *

-Mast Camera-

* _The mast camera on the destroyer is beaming back footage of the island, a pretty much barren chunk of land. The only real vegetation are short, scrubby trees and bushes clinging close to the ground. A few wild Ursaring and Teddiursa are the only Pokémon that reside on the island. The camera adjusts for the rocking movement of the ship as it fixes its lens on the low lying concrete structures built in the last few months to act as a mockup of a cloning facility. Fake Pokémon crafted out of wood, metal, and sensors stand guard around this phony installation._ *

* _The destroyer captain comes on the line and his voice is heard over speakers._ * "Okay. Today is the day we test a new weapon to our arsenal. But we also gotta remember that this is supposed to be only a deterrent from attack. So we'd better hope that it remains as such. Otherwise, it's game over for all of us. For those of you who have elected to come with us to observe the testing up close, you can see we have erected a phony installation to mock a cloning lab run by Uxie. Our goal is to test the new missile's range and capacity for warhead deployment. So I'd advise that you follow the instructions of all senior crew and officers for your own safety."

* _The camera swivels to look back at the shoreline where the missile is supposed to come from. The clock ticks down.*_

* * *

 **T-Minus 03:00...**

-No Camera-

The commander looked at the missile launch key in his hand as if it were a burden. He swallowed a lump forming in his throat. It was hard to believe... after three long years of struggling and five years of suffering the Apocalypse... they had an advantage that Uxie and Ho-oh did not. But it also carried with it an immense burden. Such power was never meant to be used in the hands of humans. But considering the circumstances and what was at stake... There was no other option left.

Sure they could try and use the Orb of Creation, but it was a risk they did not want to take until they had no other choice left. And even then it was for one use only. So they had to use it wisely.

That left them with no other choice but to use these deadly missiles as a deterrent to any Pokémon-run nation that dared to attack them. He gulped before he clenched the key and looked at the man next to him.

The two men nodded and inserted the keys into the ignition switch.

* * *

 **T-Minus 00:10...**

The keys were turned and the missile's engines ignited, the large projectile streaking out of its silo and following the course programmed into its targeting computer. The computer made some minute adjustments as best it could before the missile reached its top speed of 24,000 kph. The gleaming silver object arced skyward, leaving behind an enormous trail of smoke and exhaust. What cameras were present angled skyward, following it as it vanished into the atmosphere before reaching the apex of its climb.

Once at the apex of its climb, the missile's payload began to reenter, spreading out over a wide radius. The warheads contained in the MRVs rattled and shook, but did not ignite due to the shielding on the exteriors.

* * *

Down on the ground, the installation was awaiting the assault. People watched, their eyes locked onto the sky.

Then, a streak of light fell from the sky, followed by another, and another.

One by one the reentry vehicles descended down towards the island, a few of them landing in the ocean, but the majority striking it.

What followed could only be described as pure destruction.

The trees were uprooted from the ground due to the explosive force of the HE warheads, and the ground shook and trembled on the island. The rock began to crack a bit, and the Pokémon on the island were unfortunately burned alive by the fires that ravaged the land. The installation was rocked as well, due to the force of the explosions. The walls, despite being made of concrete and reinforced, were only ten inches thick, so it was easy enough to crack with the right amount of force. The fakemon were burnt as well, turning them into charred husks. The HE warheads were not enough to normally cause that much damage. But the sheer number of them was what did it.

Even from far away, the smoke could be seen.

Everyone was in shock and awe as the readings from the phony installation came in.

The test was a success. The installation had been wiped out.

Silence reigned as the onlookers at the bunker lowered their goggles and looked over at the man who had made this all possible.

Dr. Hendricks was shaking, his eyes wide as he staggered back and collapsed into a chair, hands shaking. "My God..." he rasped. "I...I can't believe it worked..."

He looked up at the ceiling, his eyes gazing beyond it at the sky. "What have we become...?"

An ancient Ransian poet's words came to his mind and he started to whisper them, each word slipping off his trembling lips.

 _Darkness will rise and light will fall_

 _Light will fall and darkness will rise_

 _Amidst the loss will be the call for lies_

 _The call for lies will be amidst the loss_

 _Alas, twilight will come,_

 _Beware for monsters we have become_


	5. MG42-38A Ice Beam

**File # 004**

 **MG42-38A "Ice Beam" Freeze Cannon**

 **Type:** laser assault rifle

 **Weight:** 3.33 kg (empty), 3.79 kg (with crystal shard and battery)

 **Length:** 71.76 cm

 **Barrel length:** 396 mm

 **Cartridge:** none

 **Action:** Battery charged crystal generated laser

 **Rate of fire:** Sustained beam for up to ten seconds, short bursts of one beam as fast as trigger can be pulled

 **Effective firing range:** 500 m

 **Feed System:** none

* * *

 **NOTES**

The MG42-38A Freeze Cannon is a very unique weapon amongst the Ransei forces and HLC weapons, and for a very good reason: it was developed as a means to combat the Muk and Grimer prowling the grounds and ruins of Viperia without risking Pokémon lives. To develop the weapon, Ice Beam was thoroughly studied, and a special team was assigned to see if it was possible to artificially recreate the attack with modern science.

The first efforts were met with failures, but through these failures there came some crucial information that was needed to perfect the first prototype.

First off was the power supply. Lasers before this had to use toxic chemicals or electrical stimulation to create the lasers in question. This led to some creative methods to eject the chemicals, but it still rendered the lasers dangerous to humans to wield. While possible to use in combat, the guns were bulky and not very easy to wield, even for GUNDAM Soldiers with their stronger frames. Only those with heavy assault frames were able to wield these beastly cannons.

Second was the need for a more stable mechanism through which to focus the laser. The laser before had to use a mirror or glass, then an ice gem or nevermeltice. It led to a bulkier barrel and the need to replace the mirror or glass if it got shattered, or knocked out of alignment. Such things needed time to replace, so the lasers tended to be time consuming to charge and recalibrate in battle, making them cumbersome and virtually useless except in holding positions.

These two lessons led to more research and study, finally culminating in the discovery of using crystal energy in place of toxic chemicals or electrical stimulation. The Heart of Ransei's energy, when stimulated by a small electric shock from a battery, was forced out of the crystal shard in a bright beam, which could be focused through any of the elemental gems, granting it the power of said gem. The gem has to be held in place, but the ice gem does give the gun its ability to freeze anything it touches solid.

When the trigger is pulled, the battery's charge is triggered. The battery has two small wires that take the energy and channel it to the crystal shard, mounted on a small framework holding it in place. The crystal's unique electromagnetic signature is stimulated and charged with an opposite charge, forcing it out the tip of the crystal and down the barrel of the gun, right through the ice gem, which is mounted in an apparatus welded to the front of the gun's barrel. The laser then absorbs the energy given off by the gem's radiation and charged with it, granting the laser its freezing ability.

Muk and Grimer have proven to be suseptible to its effects especially, mostly due to the fact that their bodies are made up of toxic sludge. The sludge is not that much different from slush, meaning cold enough temps such as those generated by the Freeze Cannon can halt them in their tracks. To further stop Muk and Grimer from poisoning environment, the recommended method of attack is to follow up with a blow that shatters them. This prevents them from reforming and coming back to life.

The weapon has proven to be useful in many environments, primarily those inhabited by Pokémon such as Muk, Grimer, or even Trubbish. However, due to the rarity of ice gems in other regions these days, the MG42-38A has become expensive to produce, meaning only special operations forces can be equipped with this weapon.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Freeze Cannons... Who would've guessed we would develop such a thing?" - Captain Stephan Nellis, Company E, 12th Battalion, 4th Spectra Phantom Corps

"What I don't get is why them things have to be so damn expensive!" - Commander Heinrich von Stapphon, Company B, 3rd Support Battalion, 5th Shadow Brigade

"Huh. Well, better than using Ice Beam all the time!" - Doctor Nellie Waldern, Auroros Defense Industries

"Black Ops get all the good stuff!" - Corporal Hunter Noldern, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 5th Ransei Armored Corps, 1st Armored Division (Fort Dawn)

"Better than nothing, I think. Even if it is damn hard to make many of these." - Commander Wallace Grendorf, SEAL Team 4

"Wish they'd make more of these for the common soldier." - First Lieutenant Neal Lark, Company F, 5th Battalion, 8th Ransei Assault Brigade, 4th Infantry Division

"What a waste of money!" - Engineer Yolanda Yates, Auroros Defense Industries

* * *

 **July 13, Viperia Ruins, Ransei, YDR 5**

The six man special ops team crept towards the barrier, their bodies tense and their frames ready for anything out of the ordinary. The whole place was still the same as always, the dark mists of the poisonous miasma concealing the buildings and corroding environment.

Captain Koda Miasuma growled a bit as he crept forward, his gun held closely to his chest. He narrowed his reddish brown eyes as he cast his gaze about the area. He could easily pick out the Sludge Pokémon as they oozed and slimed over anything in their path, even eating the still rotting flesh. Or at least last he checked. He wondered what they'd find this time. It had been only a month since the last investigation led them to the location of the silos for the missiles.

The only trouble was they couldn't remove the missiles for fear of contamination due to the toxic air and ground. So they were to remain where they were.

His mind drifted briefly back to the briefing for this particular mission and he scowled mentally at the thought of poking around in that mess for anything else to be of use in this war. But considering the circumstances, along with the possibility of some weapons remaining intact within that soupy environment, he couldn't fault the Supreme Warlord for wanting them to be found before the Muk and Grimer could get their sludgy hands on them.

His comm beeped at that point and he looked up, pressing a hand to the side of his helm. "Go," he said.

" _Sir, we got the entry point marked. Get over here!_ " the voice of his SIC Janet Angstrom remarked.

He nodded. "All right. I'll be there shortly!"

Koda turned and ran in the direction he calculated the comm signal to come from.

He leapt over brush and debris from the previous battles, branches and brambles scraping at his armor. He didn't even stop to move it aside; he just plowed right through it. Considering the Assault Frame he wore, it made sense.

The mech arrived at the barrier and followed it until he came to the spot where Janet stood, clad in her Excalibur exosuit. She looked at him with blue eyes concealed behind a tinted visor. "Sir, we're ready."

Her superior nodded and walked up to the shimmering blue energy shield, placing a hand on it. He felt the spark of electricity in his limb and servo. He looked at his hand and flexed it a bit before he placed it back on the barrier and pushed, sending a little energy from his core into the palm. The barrier wavered and shimmered, giving way once it registered his core's energy signature.

At once the deadly miasma of poisonous air began to escape from the barrier, and Koda waved with his gun for his team to move in. "Go!" he barked. Those clad in the exosuits slammed the mouthpieces inside their helmets shut over their noses and mouths to keep the deadly gas out and fresh clean air in. Airtight seals hissed shut on their suits and their visors did the same thing. The air tanks on their backs kicked into action once they passed inside. The rest of the team didn't have to worry as advanced air filtration systems kept their systems and circuits from becoming corroded or tainted by this gas.

Koda was the last one in.

Once he passed through, the barrier closed up behind them, trapping them within this deadly environment.

He looked around, his frame shaking a bit at the sight.

In fact, it looked even worse than he remembered.

Half the buildings were now mostly corroded, and some of them were down to just rubble heaps. Most of the streets were long gone, and cars were nothing but piles of metal and fabric and rubber and wires. The corpses that remained were nothing but skeletons now. A few power lines still clung to life, but even they were corroding rapidly in this pea soup.

He heard Janet's voice as she called to him. " _Sir? What's the objective?_ " she asked.

Koda breathed in and let it out, thankful for the filtration systems and the frame he wore. "The objective is simple: get to the command bunker and see what we can root out. But be careful. Since the Muk and Grimer are starting to run low on food, you gotta be on high alert. Now, even though your suits have been outfitted with the latest Spinarak silk armor and the composite materials we've developed, they may try to jump you and eat away at your suit's armor."

The three humans nodded at that.

"Also, watch out for the Grimer. They've developed something akin to wolf pack tactics," Koda warned them.

" _Roger!_ " the humans said.

"Me and the other two will check out the palace's perimeters for more intelligence."

The team nodded and at once they split up, the three humans making their way to the command bunker's remains and the three mechs heading for the palace ruins.

* * *

Commander Janet Angstrom of the elite SEAL Team Six crept through the ruins of the city streets, looking for anything that looked like a command bunker. She held in her hands the MG42-38A "Ice Beam" Freeze Cannon, the latest weapon to be developed in the war against Ho-oh and Uxie. Well, more like Uxie alone since Ho-oh vanished.

She looked around, her body tense for any possible attack pulled by the Muk and Grimer still lurking here. Thankfully due to the fact that they were lighter than a GUNDAM Soldier, they weren't easily detected. But that didn't mean that they were totally invisible. Actually, they were a bit more visible because of the glowing blue orbs directly in the center of their suits' chests, the crystal core. The bright blue was sure to catch the attention of the Sludge Pokémon, so they had to move fast.

Relying on the satellite images downloaded into their helmets' GPS, they made their way to the location of where the command bunker once stood.

And right into a group of Muk.

" _Oh, shit!_ " one of her teammates grumbled.

"Gee, ya think?!" Janet barked as she spun and ran back the way they had come, her two teammates hot on her tail. The only problem here was that they were easily surrounded in this place. Especially since they had no other streets close by.

" _Dammit! We're trapped!_ " her second teammate growled.

"Izzy, you don't think I know that!?" she exclaimed.

" _Koishi, Janet's got a point,_ " her first teammate said softly. " _We all know we're trapped._ "

" _Yeah? Then she'd better have a plan for us to get outta this shithole!_ " Koishi "Izzy" Izumi snapped.

"I do," Janet said. "Oswald, you and I will distract them while Izzy gets back to the bunker."

" _WHAT!?_ " Izzy cried. " _Are you insane, lady!?_ "

"No! We have our mission, and I don't plan on failing it! Plus, we might be able to use the bunker to hold our position until the others arrive!" Janet said as she looked at him. She skidded to a stop, spinning around and facing the direction of the bunker. She narrowed her eyes as she stared at the group of Muk sliming towards them. She hefted her gun and aimed it, sighting on the lead Muk with her targeting reticle. She hesitated just the teeniest of moments, long enough to let out a breath and hold her position like she had been taught.

Then she pulled the trigger.

The battery charger within triggered, sending sparks dancing down the crystal shard, which agitated the electromagnetic energy it emitted. The crystal began to shine, and with a burst of light, it fired the excess energy down the barrel, right towards the ice gem mounted in front of it. The unique radiation emitted from the gem caused the laser to get even more agitated, the electrons entering an energetic state and causing the radiation to get absorbed, the laser turning a solid bright blue in response and adding a subzero temperature as a result.

The gun fired, sending a beam of this ice-charged energy right for the lead Muk, freezing it solid once it struck the Pokémon right between the eyes. Her eyes narrowed a bit more as she released the trigger, leaving a frozen solid Muk behind. She turned and fired again, this time hitting one on the face and freezing it in mid-motion as it made to grab her foot. She whipped her body around and this time pulled the trigger three times, sending shots of the laser right for some more Muk and turning them into Poké-sicles.

Meanwhile Oswald Luther grabbed his "Bullet Seed" Minigun and fired it, shattering the Muk that Janet froze solid.

Koishi grumbled swears under his breath as he turned and ran back to the bunker, his two teammates providing covering fire for him. He hated this job. Sure he could handle Special Ops, but to be send back into this hellhole was not what he had signed up for, especially since he was one of those few who had escaped from this place. He wanted nothing more than to be on the front lines with the other forces in the other regions, trying to drive those hostile Pokémon back, not mucking around in this poison pit.

But he had a job to do. Maybe after this he'd put in a transfer to another unit.

The group returned to the bunker and darted inside, Janet using her Freeze Cannon to seal the door behind them; like it would do much good considering they'd just melt right through it.

But still, any amount of time they gained was extra time they needed to try and solidify their position. And considering how only one of the trio had a Freeze Cannon, that meant they'd have to find a good position before the Muk came through the ice sheet. Koishi hated this job, and the war. But there was nothing they could do.

Oswald looked back at Janet who was busy setting up her gun behind a pile of rubble. " _Okay!_ " she remarked. " _All set!_ "

"Okay. I'll cover you while Koishi searches out the files that did remain intact, if any," he said with a nod.

" _Dammit! I wish I hadn't been selected for this damn mission!_ " Koishi grumbled as he made his way back into the bunker's tunnels.

While Izzy went to work, Janet and Oswald kept their positions and waited for the inevitable onslaught of Muk and Grimer from the outside. Janet's eyes hardened as she swept her gaze about the interior of the bunker, seeking out any possible entry points for the Sludge Pokémon to enter. The entire room seemed to be filled with tension and sweat oozed down her face beneath her helmet's visor and mouthpiece. She wished she could remove it and wipe the sweat from her face, but she resisted the urge because of the toxic quality of the air.

She took a brief chance to check the HUD and her exosuit's integrity.

The suit's outline was still green.

Her HUD suddenly blared and her head jerked up as her eyes landed on the icy door, which was now starting to warp and buckle under the incoming purple muck. The Muk growled as it entered, reaching out its hand to fire off a Gunk Shot. Janet seized the chance and unleashed a nasty blast from the MG42-38A on the creature, freezing it solid before Oswald blew it to bits with his Minigun. " _They're starting to come!_ " he remarked.

"Don't think I haven't seen that!" Janet shot back over the comm.

" _Better hope Izzy finds what we're looking for and gets back here so we can bug out!_ "

Janet nodded, but she highly doubted it would be that easy. The bunker was a lot bigger on the inside than she had anticipated. It created a whole new set of problems that none of the team had anticipated. And this worried her greatly. The entry point for the command bunker was at least able to be held by a small team of two at minimum, but that was for the short term. Long term they needed a full crew of six to man the positions.

Her thoughts were interrupted when more Grimer and Muk began oozing their way through the hole and she blasted them, freezing them into solid ice sculptures long enough for Oswald to shatter them.

* * *

Koda and his team made their way to the palace remains, avoiding the Muk and Grimer as best they could. Thankfully the thick soup of fog concealed them from sight, and that was the best thing since the Pokémon relied primarily on their sight to find prey and food. The other problem was the vibrations their feet made as they crept along. Well, it would've been a problem if they were running.

The heavy-class assault mech held up a hand and the trio stopped, their eyes locking onto the structure ahead of them.

Even today it still stole their breath away.

Koda went first as he slipped around the old war machines and clambered over the tank Willis had pulled the diary and intel out of. He avoided the leg still lying out in the middle of the path and finally they arrived at the palace steps.

Corpses were now nothing but ash and ooze or bones. The front of the palace looked as if it had been attacked relentlessly by Gunk Shot and the poisonous gas attacks, as its structural frame was warped and melted. The roof was still clinging on precariously, but it looked as if it would collapse at any moment. So they had to work fast.

Linda Nellis, the second in command of his team, inched closer before running for the door and punching, her metal fist slamming into the corroded steel and wood, sending it flying and shattering on the floor. She landed inside and stood up, flicking on the lights embedded in her helm and sweeping them about. She could see the interior hadn't fared much better, as the floor was now pockmarked with the slime and ooze.

"C'mon!" she called. "It's clear for now."

The group nodded and ran inside after her. Koda flicked on his lights as well, narrowing his eyes as he looked around.

"Damn... Even today this place still gives me the creeps..." he muttered.

George Walls nodded his head. "I agree. But right now we got a job to do."

Koda grasped his shoulder guard. "George, you and Linda go see if you can find the weapons vault and the mainframe. If anything's salvageable, get it and bring it back to the rendezvous at the command bunker. Once we get the others, we're bugging out!"

George nodded again. "Yes, sir!" he replied, saluting.

Linda saluted as well and the two ran off, slipping into the corridors of the palace. Koda stood guard outside, his eyes narrowed dangerously against the foe he knew would come any moment now.

* * *

 **Three hours later**

Three hours.

Three long hours.

Three fuckin' long hours and they were still trapped in that bunker.

Oswald hated this.

He really, really hated this.

Not only was he running out of ammo, but the ice gem of the Freeze Cannon was starting to lose its charge.

Theoretically, the Freeze Cannon could last indefinitely on a single ice gem if used wisely. Even if the gem lost its potency, the laser could still retain its ability to freeze Pokémon or people solid if used right. The crystal shard within could last as long as needed, and even the battery could last for up to a year if maintained properly. But if used consistently and consecutively, then there was no doubt that the cannon would become a useless weapon save for firing an energy beam.

Janet knew this and was swearing every time it flickered and the beam lost its freezing ability.

She turned to Oswald. "When's Izzy getting back here? We need to fucking bail!"

" _I know that!_ " he shot back. " _But this place is huge! You know that!_ "

" _Says the guy who didn't get lost in the first place!_ " Izzy's voice chimed in.

Both defenders turned on the spot, their heads whipping around to face the third member of their party as he came in, lugging a sack loaded with something heavy. The Excalibur exosuits were able to allow the user to haul heavier loads than a standard combat suit, and it was also able to take a lot more punishment, so it was a required exosuit for the Special Ops forces of Ransei.

Izzy dumped the sack on the floor and looked around the room, his eyes wide at the amount of ice littering the floor, Muk and Grimer struggling to get over it. " _Wow. You've been busy._ "

"Enough talk and let's bug outta here! Those fuckers could eat their way through the front walls any minute!" Janet swore as she grabbed her cannon and ran for the door, blasting back the Muk with what little energy remained in the ice gem.

Oswald covered her with his minigun before it clicked and ran out. He tossed it aside as Izzy grabbed the sack and darted after them.

"About time we bailed!" he muttered to himself.

Now that they had what they came for, it was time to bug out.

* * *

The two teams met up outside the bunker shortly after. And boy were they ready to leave. Koda looked over his team and noted that no one was killed, but judging from the looks of the humans, they needed to get out of those suits when they had the chance. He raised a hand and waved with his arm, the sign to leave.

Without mich hesitation, the team turned and ran back down the slime covered streets, dodging past any Muk or Grimer that stood in their way? And with the Freeze Cannon no longer working, they had no choice but to just run and keep on running. Koda grumbled to himself at that.

Due to the rarity of the ice gems in other regions, they could only produce so many of the gun. Not to mention it was expensive to even get the gems to begin with. And that was the problem. Lacking enough of the ice gem to make more was what hindered the production of more of the Freeze Cannon. And attempts to synthesize the gems led to abysmal failures, the most spectacular being the lab located within Greeanleaf freezing solid for a full two months. While the lab itself did survive, the humans and Pokémon within did not.

The Supreme Warlord had therefore halted all attempts to create a synthetic ice gem.

It bothered Koda that the ice gems were so rare these days, along with other elemental gems. But then again, it wasn't much of a surprise to be honest. Ho-oh and Uxie's Pokémon forces were strong enough to do without the gems. He clenched his metallic fists as they ran through the streets, dodging the eyesight of the sludge Pokémon by using what debris remained. This was just not good for any of the combat ant forces, especially what human nations remained free from Uxie and his "men".

The group finally reached the site of their entry and Koda darted forward, sending a bit more core energy to his palm to open up the barrier. The barrier wavered before it opened enough for them to bolt out into the clean air beyond. The gap closed shortly after, keeping them safe and trapping any miasma back inside the Viperia Ruins.

Janet looked back at the barrier and then down at her now useless Cannon. " _Dammit!_ " she muttered. " _Now we gotta spend a fortune to get another ice gem for this thing!_ "

"What makes you think we don't know that?" Koda remarked as he rolled his eyes. "Those things cost what, about a million Poké dollars per gem?"

Izzy snorted. " _Try more like two or even five million. You never know where they'll find those things, if at all_ ," he said.

Koda sighed, placing a hand where the bridge of his nose would've been. He looked up, his V-fin glimmering a bit in the light of the outdoors. The sun was just beginning to set beyond the horizon and he looked down at his armor, covered in the purplish mist. "We'd better get back to the capital. The sooner we get cleaned up the better."

" _Well, you guys have to get cleaned up,_ " Oswald noted. " _We just gotta get these suits off._ "

"Once we get back to base," Koda reminded them. "Any contamination on your skin is just asking for trouble."

" _We get it, Koda,_ " Izzy grumped as he turned back towards the spot where their aircraft waited.

The six man team turned and ran back through the brush, plunging past the desolate remains of older tanks and war machines that littered the outskirts of the barrier's perimeter. The clearing beyond the trees was all that remained of a previous attack that left a massive crater in the ground, and its depth was perfect to hide the tilt-rotor they had used to get here. Well, the humans anyway.

Koda didn't even hesitate as he leapt into the air and engaged his thruster pack, the blue exhaust jetting out from the nozzles and granting him flight. He adjusted his wings before he flew over the clearing and noted his three teammates getting inside. The pilot, who had been waiting for them, started up the dual engines, the rotors spinning and the ungainly craft lifting off the ground shortly afterwards.

The "Fearow" tilt-rotor pivoted in midair as it rose above the clearing, and with a few flicks of the controls and a switch, the rotor pods tilted forward and the aircraft darted off towards Aurora, its occupants toting intelligence and information that could be put to good use. Koda looked down at his other teammates as they took off as well. Linda's sleek frame glimmered in the light as she shifted to her aircraft form and sped on ahead, George grabbing onto Koda's hand as he held it out. Koda grunted as he felt his teammate's heavier frame struggle to pull him down. He grumbled to himself about the weight of the heavy-weapons assault frames.

The GUNDAM beneath him was outfitted with some heavy-duty cannons, and on top of it his shoulder launchers for the missile pack on his back made him even heavier than Koda. As it was, Koda's very joints strained against the extra weight, and he swore he'd be needing a limb replacement if they didn't get back to Aurora in time.

"Geez, man! Next time pick a lighter frame to go with!" he grunted.

George shot him a glare with his bright orange irises. "Sorry if I picked a frame to suit my fighting style!" he growled.

" _Okay! Enough!_ " Linda shot back over the comm. " _We've got a mission to complete, remember? We have to get this stuff back to Aurora before any of Uxie's Pokémon soldiers find out we're coming through their territory!_ "

Koda groaned mentally as he remembered that. The way there had been easier, but to avoid risking contamination to the people and the area surrounding Viperia, the team had to head around the country's borders and over oceans that were patrolled by Pokémon loyal to the Spirit of Knowledge. That was a risk in of itself for most other nations, but Ransei's advanced technological edge and the Heart of Ransei allowed them to hold their own as they traversed their territory. But even so, there was still the chance they wouldn't make it back.

So they had to take a chance.

Regardless of what it meant.

* * *

 **Auroros, Aurora, July 14, 5 YDR**

Spray stood in front of the table, looking over the data and hard drives accumulated from the ruins of Viperia. His brown eyes darted over each object, finally landing on the tattered journal and the flash drive. He reached out and grasped the crystal around his neck, lifting it up and studying it for a moment, its blue glow reflecting in his eyes.

The door to the command center slid open suddenly and he turned, releasing his crystal and facing the man who stepped into the room.

"Hey, Spray. How are you doing?" Radar asked.

"Just peachy," Spray remarked as he looked at the table. "We've got a ton of stuff, but now we have to sift through all this data and information to find what we're looking for."

"And that would be?" Radar leaned against the wall closest to his friend and folded his arms over his broad chest.

"Anything pertaining to who's behind this whole damn war," Spray said as he walked up and picked up part of a hard drive.

"I see," Radar mused as he closed his eyes. "And what if we can't find it?"

His best friend hesitated before he sighed and closed his eyes. "Then I have no idea..."

The two men stood there for a while before Radar finally spoke again. "I heard that we need another shipment of ice gems?" he asked.

The Supreme Warlord nodded. "Yeah. But considering how rare they are, we can only get three per shipment. And you know what happened last time we tried to synthesize one," he muttered. "That lab was our best bet, and it cost us everyone inside. So I shut down the project."

"It was a wise choice," Radar said as he stood straight and walked over to where Spray stood. "So, you gonna put the order out as soon as you can?"

Spray nodded. "Yeah. And hopefully we can get more ice gems this time around. I'm asking for a shipment from Sinnoh. and hopefully we can get them. Johto is out of the question due to the lack of a government and its reserves are dwindling rapidly." He looked back at the main monitor showing the situation globally.

"Right. When will it be here, do you think?" Radar asked.

Spray shook his head. "I have no idea. But one thing that I do know is that when they get here, we'll put in an order for three more Freeze Cannons. After that, we'll equip them to SEAL Teams One and Six, and our Black Shadow Squad."

Radar's eyes went wide at the mention of the Black Shadows. "You're not serious!"

"I am," Spray said grimly. "I'll be sending them into Johto to try and gather more data on the situation. If anyone can do it, it's them."

The bigger man relented, but he didn't like sending in their best unit into that hellhole. "I just wish you'd consider other options. Satellites could be more useful..."

"True, but there's no real chance right now. A special ops team is the best bet. I don't like it either, but we have no other options right now," Spray said seriously. "So, we have to go for it. And these guys are the best. So... just trust me on this."

Radar nodded, his massive form seeming to deflate. "Okay. I trust you. Just don't mess this up."

Spray nodded. "Right."

Now it all hinged on this team. And if they could even do it.


	6. XM2465 Bullet Seed

**File # 005**

 **XM2465 "Bullet Seed" Microgun**

 **Type:** Rotary barrel machine gun

 **Weight:** 19 kg (lightweight mode); 39 kg (standard)

 **Dimensions:** overall length 801.6 mm; barrel length 558.8 mm

 **Caliber:** 7.62 mm

 **Action:** Electrically driven rotary breech

 **Rate of fire:** Variable, 2000-6000 rpm

 **Muzzle velocity:** 853 m/s

 **Maximum firing range:** 1000 m

 **Feed system:** dependent on installation or hand-carried, 500-5000 round belt

 **Sight:** none

* * *

 **NOTES**

The XM2465 "Bullet Seed" Microgun was developed as an offshoot of the variable Minigun, meant to be hand-wielded in combat. While not usable by normal humans unless mounted on a vehicle, GUNDAM Soldiers and those humans equipped with the Excalibur exosuits are able to use this gun in standard combat. The decision to come up with this gun came when several men and women were literally shredded by Bullet Seed before they could reach their assault vehicle or even open fire with their Minigun.

The attack was what prompted a much faster acting gun, but small enough to be hand-held should the need arise. Due to the need for an extended ammunition belt though, only GUNDAM Soldiers and Excalibur exosuit-wearing humans are allowed to carry these guns, and even then the ammunition belts are limited to conserve the rounds.

To allow for a GUNDAM Soldier to fire this gun, the electrical motor is linked into the frame and the crystal energy core is used to power the motor. This allows for greater use time, limited only by the amount of rounds carried by the mech or femme in question. Most soldiers armed with this gun tend to be weighed down by the ammunition packs they carry with them, and this also makes them more prone to being left behind, so all soldiers armed with these guns must be assigned to faster, hard hitting units to give them decent protection. This also allows for greater tactical and strategic flexibility on the battlefield when up against Hoh-oh's forces or any of the Order of Ragnarok.

The design is just like the standard M135 Minigun, but more compact and portable. Recent innovations in metallurgy and mechanical engineering allow for smaller, more compact parts to be manufactured for the XM2465, including an electric motor that could fit inside a bowling ball. The multibarrel design allows for constant use without overheating, just like the standard Minigun in use by the Ransei Defense Forces. As one barrel fires, two are in the middle of unloading shells and the other three are arming with rounds. Due to its unique design, consisting of multiple closed bolt rifle barrels on a circular housing, the gun is able to serve various functions and fire rapidly without overheating, and the feed system separates the linked ammunition belts as the rounds enter the firing chambers.

The rounds fired are typically the 7.62 mm ammunition rounds, but there have been other variants developed using different caliber miniguns. The only downside is that these guns tend to be bulkier and therefore heavier, limiting their use in combat situations. Therefore, the Bullet Seed Microgun is the best bet to allow for battlefield flexibility and heavy firepower in one.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"These miniguns are very heavy at times!" - Ensign Oishi "Octillery" Najima, Company E, 4th Battalion, 34th Valora Mechanized Infantry Brigade

"Gotta admit, the XM2465 is one hell of a gun when it comes to firepower." Colonel Ulrich "Underground" Strathmore, Company C, 7th Battalion, 45th Ransei Gunnery Division (Fort Violight)

"Hell of a weapon. Just wish they weren't so damn hard to wield!" - Brigadier-General Oswald Harris, Company B, 3rd Mechanized Battalion, 75th Ignis Tank Division

* * *

 **Johto Coastline, July 18, 5 YDR**

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

The combat information center was busy as the captain entered the room, her blue eyes scanning the crowd before her. Her eyes narrowed as she looked back at the screen showing the many areas around the ship via the security cameras, even the flight deck. She shifted her eyes to look at it and she saw the helo spooling up its rotors, the last of the team being sent ashore scrambling in and closing the door behind him.

She briefly fingered her crystal as she watched the aircraft lift off the flight deck, point its nose towards the distant shoreline and fly towards it. She recalled the very unit on board that craft, and actually she felt a bit relieved that they were the ones to go investigate and gather more data. As the top tier unit of the Ransei Defense Forces, it made sense that they'd go. Still, it did little to ease her worry.

After all, Uxie was bound to try and find them. This was _his_ territory, after all.

She pressed a hand to her headset. "Bridge, CIC. Get us underway and out of here as soon as that helo drops them off. I don't want to stick around any longer than necessary. Being this close to Uxie's territory gives me the willies."

" _Understood, ma'am. We'll be ready when that helo returns,_ " the SIC reported.

Captain Sarah "Metal Skin" Bradford nodded. "Good. CIC out." She dropped her hand away from the headset and looked back at the monitor. She could only hope they were going to make it unnoticed.

* * *

 **En route to Olivine City**

The pilot looked at his HUD on his helmet's visor and narrowed his eyes. He reached for the control stick and adjusted the altitude a bit more to allow them to fly in unnoticed, or as best they could. Helicopters were not built for stealth, but this one was as close as they could get by using "Light Screen" reflective plating developed by the joint Ransei-HLC weapons research committee. The helicopter flew over the remains of at least fifty vessels sunk or damaged five years ago, and the ruins of Olivine City came into view.

Even now it still made him shudder a bit.

"Okay, people. We don't have time to land or touch down, so you'll have to do a combat drop from the sides," he told his passengers. "Now this has never been done before. So I advise you to land as close as possible together. No dropping out of sight. One after another. Got it?"

The first of the team looked over his shoulder at the two men flying them to their destination. "We understand. This isn't the first time we've done something unconventional," he said.

"Just be careful and try to get to the extraction point as soon as possible," the pilot cautioned. "We'll be in range only for a few days, and then we have to get out. So try to stay as close to the city as possible, or barring that, try to meet up with the new sub lurking close by."

"Understood," the mech said as he turned to his unit.

The woman closest to the door threw it open and the team jumped out of the helo, one after another as the craft banked around and made its way back towards the _Kusanagi_. The nine man team plummeted from a height of five thousand feet, either deploying their parachutes or engaging their engines and slowly descending to the ground below them.

The closest person, General Kyou Kagita, narrowed his blue eyes as he studied the entire area from underneath his helmet's visor. The computer built into his Excalibur exosuit analyzed the terrain for any possible locations for landing. It was hard to believe, that in just five years he had become a general within Ransei's defense forces. And on top of that, he had a team to command, consisting of four Pokémon, two humans, and three GUNDAM Soldiers. And now, here he was, commanding the elite Black Shadow Squadron. He was actually a bit impressed at how far he and the others had come.

A sudden beeping from his HUD caught his attention and he turned to face the ground coming up. The landscape was a torn up mess, the buildings starting to corrode thanks to the salty sea air and the weather, not to mention the battles that tore several dozen city blocks to shreds. Kyou flared the engines of his jet pack and prepared to touch down, his parachute fluttering over his head as he pulled back on the toggles and let the air spill from it. He was the first one to touch down along with his partner Blaze and a Lucario that they had taken in as an added team member. He preferred to be called Zak, which was a surprise considering how most Pokémon preferred to be called by their species name. Still, at least Zak was an asset with his Aura Sight and other Aura moves. He landed beside Blaze and the two Pokémon shed their harnesses.

Kyou disengaged his own harness and let it fall to the ground before he gathered up the parachute and stashed it behind a nearby truck. He turned to the other members of his team, a woman named Melanie Lees, and her Pokémon partner Carnivine. She had been holding onto him as they bailed out of the helicopter, so he was let go as soon as they touched down. The three mechs were the next ones to touch down, their engines kicking up dust as they landed. The first one, Danny Kingston, rolled his shoulders and flexed his arms to get the energy and fluids flowing again. His green eyes locked onto his own partner, a Gastly named Hauntz. The Ghost-type flitted around, scanning for any hostiles in the landing zone (LZ). The last two mechs, a husband and wife team named Bill and Diana Freeman, cast their own gazes around the possible combat zone, sensors going at full power.

"Okay. Anyone missing?" Kyou asked his teammates.

They all shook their heads. Everyone was present and accounted for.

"All right. We know the risks for being here, and we have only a certain amount of time before we get caught. So we have to get in and get the job done before bailing outta here," he explained. "And as per the mission briefing, we have to complete our objectives within that time frame. So we'll split up into teams. Zak, you take Melanie and Carnivine to scout out further north of the city. Don't get too close to Ecruteak City, and stay in the shadows."

The Lucario nodded and saluted with a paw.

Kyou shifted his gaze to the mech standing beside him and his Gastly.

"Danny, you and Hauntz see if you can get close to Goldenrod City, but stay outta sight."

"Got it, sir!" Danny replied with a salute.

He then looked at the two other GUNDAMS now holding hands discreetly.

"Bill, you and Diana see what the situation is further east. But stay in constant contact."

"You know it!" Diana chirped as her husband nodded.

"We'll be in contact on the usual frequency," Bill replied.

"Meanwhile, me and Blaze will go scout out the archives of the city to see what we can dig up on survivor records," Kyou finished.

"If we come across any Pokémon of Uxie's, can I use it?" Danny asked as he looked at the gun attached to his back.

"Permission granted, soldier. Just try not to use up all the ammo in that thing. We don't have any extra," Kyou said.

Danny nodded. "Yes, sir!" He saluted sharply.

"Okay. Spread out and get to work!" the general barked.

The teams split off and ran towards their assigned sectors.

* * *

 **Goldenrod City outskirts**

 **Rt. 35**

Corporal Danny Kingston of the 3rd Avia Airborne looked around as he eyed the ruined structures and overgrown buildings, the vegetation starting to creep back up their facades. Off to his side, Hauntz flitted through the structures, his gaseous body proving to be an edge in a place like this. But Danny was no slouch either. His new Specter Frame was designed for stealth all the way through, which allowed him to creep around virtually unnoticed. It helped that the "Light Screen" reflective plating worked for mech frames as well as aircraft frames.

"Hauntz, you see anything?" he asked.

The Ghost-type said nothing, but the fact that he didn't act aggressively was a sign that things were all clear for the moment. Danny's eyes narrowed a bit as he hefted his gun, fingering the trigger of his XM2465 "Bullet Seed" Microgun. The extended ammo belt slid into the pack on his side, and he made sure to keep the weapon on safe mode.

Hauntz meanwhile flitted throughout the city's outskirts, passing through ruined houses and over abandoned cars. Some wild Pokémon seemed to sense him, but they backed off as he often hissed to warn them. He flittered over to Danny's location and shook his head, shrugging his floating hands.

"No survivors?" Danny translated.

The Pokémon nodded.

"Shit... This day keeps getting better and better..." the mech grumbled as he crept past one of the corroding cars. His eyes hardened as he inched closer to the ruined car, peering inside.

Nothing.

Not even a body.

He would've gritted his teeth had he been able to, but all he could do was punch the ground with his free hand, holding the gun with his other. "Dammit!" He turned and looked through the cracked windows, spotting something in the area, and he tensed. His systems shifted over to full combat mode and he inched closer to the other side of the car, his crystal core pulsing hard within his chest. His wings twitched as he looked around, trying to eye anything out of the ordinary. Danny suddenly halted, throwing up a hand to stop Hauntz as he was about to phase through.

His eyes were hard as he heard the vegetation moving ever so slightly.

"Hauntz, see what's in that vegetation!" he hissed.

The Ghost-type nodded and phased out of view, sneaking up on the Pokémon or whatever was inside that brush.

The mech stood at alert, waiting for his partner to emerge and give the all clear or something.

What he least expected was to see a wild Miltank lunge out of the brush, Hauntz dodging Shadow Ball attack. The Ghost-type phased out of sight and appeared beside Danny. The mech didn't even hesitate as his other hand flew for the XM2465 and held it steady as he leaned back, bracing himself for the recoil. He flipped down the targeting scanner on his left eye and pulled the trigger once the reticle went green.

The barrels kicked into action, whirring rapidly as the electric motor wired into his frame began to draw on his core's energy. The ammo belt suddenly began to zip through the gun's entry feed and brass shell casings flew out the other side as he fired a short burst, hitting the wild Milk Cow Pokémon across the torso, sending blood and tissue everywhere, but as its defense stat implied, it wasn't that easy to bring down. The Thick Fat it possessed was very difficult to penetrate. Danny grumbled to himself as he readjusted his aim and pulled the trigger once more, this time aiming for the Pokémon's head and upper torso.

Bullets stitched across the skin, blowing the head clean off and sending brain matter everywhere. But that was just the first Pokémon they were to come across. Danny was stunned at the surprise attack. His eyes were smaller than normal as he inched closer to the body, inspecting it for anything out of the ordinary. He nudged it with his heavy metal foot, but the body lay limp and lifeless. He let out a sigh from his ventilators and his shoulders sagged in relief. "Geez. Talk about unlucky," he muttered.

Hauntz phased into view beside him and he shot a glance at his partner.

The Ghost-Type clearly looked concerned, and a bit spooked, which was a first, considering how it was almost impossible to spook Ghost-type Pokémon. The way he was fidgeting his hands indicated something was wrong, as did the emotions roiling across the Link. Danny's mind picked up on this and he holstered the gun on his back, looking his partner in the eyes. "All right, Hauntz. What's got you spooked?"

The Haunter merely raised a hand and pointed upwards, his finger aiming right for the remains of the Goldenrod Radio Tower.

Danny's breathing hitched in his chest and he swore his core would overheat.

Right atop the ruins was the legendary Pokémon of Thunder, Raikou.

The mech ducked behind an overturned bus as the Pokémon looked over, his eyes narrowing a bit in suspicion.

The "Light Screen" reflective plating, according to the manufacturers, was supposed to be able to bend light and reflect it in such a way that it rendered the user or wearer invisible to the naked eye, with only sensors being able to pick them up. Tests done had proven it was possible, but only if the mech or femme or vehicle in question was absolutely still or moved in the right way. Even some of the Excalibur exosuits were outfitted with it as a test platform. The only question was if it really worked or not.

And now was a good time to see if it did work as the manufacturers had promised.

The mech stayed absolutely still as possible, trying to avoid much movement. His eyes were smaller than normal as the legendary Thunder Pokémon looked around with his gaze, seeking out any intruders that dared to trespass on his domain. Danny's body was tense as Raikou finally looked away, as if feeling relieved that no one would dare intrude. The mech let out a soft sigh of relief as he slumped down, closing his eyes as he did so.

' _Man! I gotta admit, that was way too close even for my comfort!_ ' the GUNDAM soldier thought to himself. He raised a hand and placed it on his chest, feeling his overreacting core settling down.

"Okay... Got any ideas now?" he asked his partner.

The Ghost-type didn't respond with words, but he did respond by grabbing Danny's frame and hauling him to his feet, motioning with one purple hand to a partially demolished apartment complex that was located close to the old Goldenrod Department Store. Danny's eyes narrowed as he grasped a nearby pipe and held it at the ready like a battle staff. The two began to move out towards the destroyed department store and inched inside.

The interior was a mess. Already greenery was starting to take hold and the shelves were all corroded and falling apart. Mold was eating away at the fabrics and the food was long gone, but some of the cans were still sealed. A few had popped the tops off and moldy beans were oozing out. Danny stepped closer to the cash registers which were now overgrown and rusting away, the paper money inside nothing more than moldy scraps. The electronics no longer worked, and the lights were busted and cracked. Across on the other side of the room, the elevator was out of commission, no longer functional and the stairs had been blocked by collapsed ceiling tiles and corroded wiring. Faded posters stood out on the walls, some still bearing most of their words and pictures, others molded and eaten by small insects.

He peered over the other side and he immediately regretted it.

On the other side of the cash registry lay a skeleton with scraps of flesh clinging to the bones, and the clothing still worn by it. A few other skeletons lay in a heap in the corner, along with a fresh body of a single human male. The body was in the advanced stages of decay, and he backed away from it, closing his eyes and purging the memory with a quick deletion protocol. No way was he gonna have nightmares!

However, the presence of such a body indicated that there might be survivors about. And if there were survivors about, then they had to be hidden!

Quickly Danny pressed a hand to his helm, getting on the encrypted channel to Kyou.

* * *

 **Olivine City Hall**

Kyou grunted as he shifted, his arms straining to move aside the rubble that blocked the entrance to the old city hall.

He let out a sigh as he let go of the beam and flexed his sore arms; even with the Excalibur exosuit, the beam itself was just too heavy to move. It would take a team of five to remove that thing. And considering the huge chunks of concrete and rebar clinging to either end, it made perfect sense. He looked around the exterior of the old hall, his eyes landing on several cracked windows and some vines snaking up the sides of the building. He frowned a bit as he skimmed it over, mentally visualizing the scenarios.

It was a possibility, but he wasn't sure if the vines would hold his weight.

His thoughts were interrupted by Blaze's concern through the Link. Kyou looked at the Blaziken and shook his head. "Sorry. I'm just not sure if it's such a good idea," he mused. "Crawling through those windows is one thing, but to really get inside we'd need to climb up those vines. The windows down below just aren't wide enough for us."

Blaze's face creased with a frown as he folded his arms, and his partner sighed, rubbing his helmeted head with his metallic-gloved hands. "I know!" he muttered, feeling a headache coming on. "I know it, dammit!"

Thankfully a beeping in his comm caught his attention and he turned, pressing a hand to his helmet and bringing the comm online. "Yeah? Go."

" _Kyou, it's Danny! I believe we may have survivors somewhere in Goldenrod!_ " the voice of his teammate cried excitedly.

"Whoa, hold on, Danny!" Kyou remarked. "Are you serious?"

" _Me and Hauntz found a body in the old department store while searching for anything that could be of use in terms of the intelligence department,_ " the GUNDAM Soldier explained. " _The body is in an advanced state of decay, but that's a sign that it's fairly recent. Which means that there are people someplace here. The only question now is where are they, and are they even still alive._ "

"Danny, what about the mission? Find anything that could be of use?" Kyou asked, trying to get his teammate back on track.

" _We did. Raikou's in charge of this sector,_ " Danny replied. " _Bur the Light Screen reflective plating worked wonders. He didn't even see me_."

Kyou's breathing hitched and his heartrate soared beyond its norm. He pressed the comm again, his eyes filled with fear. "Danny, listen! You are to get out of there now!" he cried.

" _Why?_ " Danny asked.

The general clapped a hand to his forehead. "Danny, if Raikou's there, then that's bad news under any circumstance! I don't care if the reflective plating worked or not! He's bound to try and pick up the scent of Hauntz, and that, as you know, is a dangerous thing to have happen! And you know the deal with your frame! You have to get outta there before he finds you and nails you!" he said. "Your body is in danger of being fried or shut down by that Pokémon!"

Danny was silent.

"Just forget the survivors if there are any and bug out! That is a direct order!" Kyou barked.

" _Negative, sir. I'm not leaving yet. If there are any survivors, we can't leave them to live in this hellhole!_ " Danny retorted. " _What kind of a message would that send to the rest of the world, huh?! We made a pledge to protect and rescue any survivors in the regions held by Pokémon, and we swore to be a beacon of hope in this world! So are you saying we should back down?!_ "

"Danny, I agree with what you're saying, but it's just too big a risk right now!" Kyou said as he looked back at the ruins of the city hall. He had an idea of how to get inside now, and he ran towards the building with Blaze right behind him.

" _And I say that we should take that chance!_ " the mech shot back. " _If anything, it may boost the morale of the HLC and the survivors. And it may allow us to get an idea of the situation. Remember that our sensors and satellites really can't penetrate this region's borders. If anything, maybe they can fill in the gaps._ "

That caught Kyou's attention. The general skidded to a stop close to a partially collapsed tree leaning against the façade of the building. "Hold on. Repeat that?"

" _I said that any survivors we rescue could be of use in filling in the gaps in our intel about Johto,_ " Danny repeated.

Kyou's eyes hardened at those words. It did make sense now that he thought about it. The sensors on their ships and planes, not to mention their satellites, were unable to really get a firm picture of the situation. Even their real-time spy satellites were unable to get a glimpse beyond the blurry haze that hung over the region. That meant that all they could see was a hazy version of the wasteland with smudges that looked like ruins of cities and towns. The general lifted his arm and quickly accessed the GPS map function in the PokéGauntlet equipped to all soldiers of the Ransei Defense Forces. The map was keyed into the many satellites overlooking the world, and a few of them happened to maintain stationary positions in orbit above Johto to try and penetrate the thick haze coating the air above the region.

He could see the blue dot symbolizing his location on the map, but other than that, all he could see was a blurry smudge that marked the city. "Dammit..." he muttered. He exited the map screen and lowered his arm. He pressed the comm button once more. "Danny, if you find _any_ survivors, get them out as quickly as possible! And if you get spotted by Raikou, go all out if you have to! Just do not get yourself killed!"

" _Yes, sir!_ " Danny replied. The comm shut down and static filled his hearing before Kyou removed his hand from his helmet.

"Okay. Time to get in and see what we can find..." he muttered.

* * *

 **Goldenrod City Ruins**

 **Goldenrod Department Store**

Danny turned to Hauntz. "Well, you heard him! We got survivors to hunt for!"

Hauntz grinned, only to pause before he turned and waved a hand for Danny to follow.

The mech didn't even hesitate as he turned and ran after the Haunter. The Ghost-Type flitted past the ruins of the stairs and elevator before coming to a stop near what appeared to be a heavily rusted metal door. Danny's eyes shrank a bit as he realized what it was as Hauntz fiddled with the buttons on an old switch. A loud clank echoed as the door slowly began to rise, rusted gears and corroded wires taking on the enormous task of opening the freight elevator.

"Nice work, Hauntz!" Danny exclaimed as they slipped inside.

He punched the button for the basement, and the door slid shut as the massive elevator began to descend into the depths of the old store.

The elevator creaked and groaned the whole descent, but it held up and clanged to a stop at the bottom of the shaft. Danny pried open the door and the two peeped out into the darkness of the basement.

The basement was in rough shape as well, considering how plaster and ceiling beams and lights had collapsed and caved in around the area. Crates and supplies littered the floors and every now and then a Grimer sludged past, feasting on what corpses did remain down here. And judging from the stink, (which despite being filtered was nauseating to humans) the corpses were fairly recent. He stepped over a Machamp's body halfway finished decomposing and held up a hand, flicking on the lights mounted in his helm. The bright beams penetrated the inky blackness and a few Zubat flitted past, screeching and batting the air around them. Danny flinched as one of the Pokémon flew by him and Hauntz barely avoided another one by phasing into the wall closest to Danny.

Danny let out a sigh as he closed his eyes. "Just a bunch of Zubat..." he muttered.

A loud noise suddenly caught his attention and Danny's hand flew for the gun mounted on his back. He pulled the XM2465 free from its mounting and held it at the ready across his chest as he inched closer to the corner, Hauntz phasing out partially above him. He felt the Ghost-Type's concern and anticipation across the Link and he gulped, swallowing the mechanical equivalent of a lump in his throat. His core increased its pulses and he shivered a bit, his armor clattering ever so slightly. The two peeked around the corner, tense for any possible enemies.

The only thing there was a large Kingler.

Danny's eyes widened a bit as he hefted his gun, peering out a bit more.

The Kingler didn't even hesitate as it turned and skittered down the corridor a ways. Danny would've gritted his teeth if he had any, but he forced it from his mind and followed the Pokémon down the corridor. Hauntz followed after, his eyes narrowed a bit as well.

The two followed the Kingler down the corridor until they came to an old storeroom still with the door open. Danny hesitated and looked to his partner. The Ghost-Type picked up on the unasked question and phased away, darting through the wall and out of sight. The mech waited, fingering his gun nervously. He hoped that the Pokémon wasn't a threat to either of them. The door handle suddenly turned and the Kingler darted inside as the door opened. Danny frowned mentally and crept closer, peering inside.

He could make out his Haunter partner behind some old crates and a set of stairs leading down into a patch of inky blackness even worse than up here. Danny shivered at the thought, but gulped as he followed the Kingler into the darkened underground.

Hauntz was right behind him.

The darkness was pitch black, and only his lights allowed the two to see. The Kingler was scuttling along, and the two followed as closely as they dared without daring to lose it or get spotted. Hauntz was a godsend, Danny figured, as he flitted out of sight and around a corner. Danny on the other hand stood absolutely still as the Pokémon emerged around the corner, and right into what appeared to be a large room. And in the middle of it stood fifty different men, women, and children, along with about fifty five Pokémon. A fire flickered dimly in the room, barely illuminating their faces and the shadows. Danny shut off his helmet lights and adjusted his optics for night vision. He also adjusted his audios to better pick up their conversation.

"...sure that it's a good idea to remain here? I mean, it's been five years..."

"...understand your frustration, but we have no choice. We try to leave, we're screwed."

"Jackson, please! My children can't stay here and grow up in this hellhole!"

"I know! But we have to if we're to stay alive."

"Says the man who sent Benson on a trip and he never came back!"

"Sarah, just take it easy..."

Danny's eyes hardened as he realized what this meant. These guys were holed up here for their own safety, but some were not happy with the arrangement. He needed to try and talk to them, and soon.

He took in a breath and let it out. Might as well do it before he lost the nerve to do so.

He slipped the gun across his back and stood up, slowly walking forward with his hands held up in front in a show of surrender. His footsteps echoing in the darkened chamber caught the attention of these survivors and they turned, their eyes wide and fearful as he emerged from the shadows. "It's okay," he said gently.

A sudden bark cut across the air and Danny felt the barest whisper of wind as a bullet barely missed his neck. The survivors had grabbed whatever weapons they had, including guns and makeshift spears. A few Pokémon had attacks charged and ready, but they weren't going to fire them. Danny swallowed nervously as he inched closer. "Take it easy. I'm not here to hurt you..." he said softly.

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?" the leader of the group asked as he held the shotgun at the ready, this time aiming it for Danny's chest. Not like it would do much good as the armor there was the thickest on a GUNDAM frame.

"Like I said, I'm here to help," Danny repeated. "I'm Corporal Danny Kingston of the 3rd Avia Airborne of the Ransei Defense Forces. I'm here to get you guys out."

The man hesitated, but didn't lower the gun. "How can you prove it?"

Danny gestured to Hauntz. "Hauntz is my partner. Has been for six years," he said. "I had him from a Gastly I Linked with in Avia."

The man frowned, but he lowered his shotgun. "The name's Jackson Davis. I lead this group." He held out a hand, but kept the shotgun at the ready. Danny extended his hand and took it.

"Pleasure to meet you. Or well... yeah. You know what I mean," Danny remarked a bit sheepishly. "Anyway, I'm gonna try and get you guys outta here."

"Good luck with that. Raikou's been scouring this place for survivors, and so far we've been lucky since we're so far underground. But it's only a matter of time before he finds us," Jackson remarked grimly. "I doubt even you could get us outta here undetected."

Danny nodded. "You're right. At least not alone. I have a team with me and we're out scouting to try and get an idea of the land before we do anything more."

Jackson frowned as he pursed his lips. He waved for Danny to take a seat. The mech sat down beside him as the survivors all went back to their tasks of eating and trying to keep their little community running. The grizzled man sighed as he looked at the shotgun in his hand. He grabbed a cloth from his pocket and began to clean the gun's barrel. "I appreciate you coming here, kid. But the truth of the matter is, we're not going anywhere. Raikou has this city under his control, and even if you could get us out, he'd know."

"And how would he know that?" Danny asked critically.

"He's got Gastly and other Pokémon prowling the underground. We can't exit through the department store or near the train station's remains. We're effectively stuck down here," Jackson said softly. "And even if we could get out, he'd see us. His perch on the old radio tower is perfect for viewing the entire city."

Danny knew instantly what he was talking about. A good tactical and strategic position to keep an eye on his domain and look for any survivors to kill and no doubt feast upon. The mere thought made him feel a bit queasy to a mild extent. He shivered and gulped nervously. And as much as he hated to admit it, the man did have a point. He raised a hand to his helm and pressed it close to his V-fin. "Dammit... Man. You guys really _are_ stuck here," he muttered.

"Told ya so, kid," Jackson muttered.

The GUNDAM Soldier was in a predicament. And technically, they all were. And there was no way that Hauntz could phase them all through the walls to a location for extraction...

Could he?

Danny's head shot up as an idea came into his processor. He looked back at Hauntz who was feasting on some canned goods with a few other Pokémon. He noted how the Ghost-type seemed to be able to phase through stuff, and he wondered briefly if it was possible for him to take the survivors to an extraction point via phasing. He had seen him do it with objects, but never humans or Pokémon.

He lowered his head and did some quick mental computations on the chances of success, which actually turned out to be pretty damn good. But they'd have to do it and fast. Raikou would no doubt be on high alert.

The mech turned to Jackson. "Jackson, how far is it from here to the outskirts near Olivine City?" he asked.

"About fifteen miles," he said. "Why?"

Danny closed his eyes and brought up a mental map of the area. He skimmed it with his mind before he made his decision. He opened his eyes. "Okay. We're gonna get you guys outta here," he said.

"What?"

"Are you nuts?"

"How do you plan on it?"

"You got a death wish?"

"You're nuts, man!"

"Stupid computers going in ya or what?"

"You have no idea!"

These were just some of the remarks he heard. But he was not deterred. He held up his hands and stood to face the survivors. "Look, I know it sounds crazy, and it may be crazy, but it just may work as well!" Danny shot back over the exclamations of disbelief and shock. "The truth is, we're not gonna get outta here without setting off Raikou's radar, so to speak. And stealth will only work for so long. And face it. You guys can't stay down here forever. The simple fact is you need to leave. And we can help. I have a Haunter with me, and he'll be the one to take you out. I don't know if this will even work, but I'm hoping that he'll be able to phase all of you out of here one at a time to an extraction point five miles from the outskirts. Once that's done, then we'll head to the extraction point for me and my team. From there we'll bring you to Ransei where you will all be given homes and shelter, and not have to worry about Uxie or Raikou attacking you. You will be safe."

"You sure, kid?" an old man asked, his huge form standing just a foot taller than Danny's five foot two frame.

Danny nodded. "Yes. We have to try, or else you will never be able to see your loved ones again."

Jackson wasn't so sure. In fact, he highly doubted that the plan would work. Especially considering how it had never been done before. And yet this kid seemed determined to pull it off in spite of the fact that there was a huge risk factor involved. He shifted a bit, pondering this.

"You have to make a choice, and soon," Danny repeated. "Raikou won't be idle for long, let alone unaware of your presence."

The old man gritted his teeth before turning and walking off. Danny cocked his head a bit.

"Look, kid. I really appreciate what you're doing, but..."

"No buts!" Danny blurted. "It's for everyone's safety! No questions asked!"

"How do you know if this plan of yours will even work?" Jackson asked as he looked back at the GUNDAM Soldier.

Danny hesitated, and Jackson snorted. "I thought so."

Hauntz, however, had apparently had enough. He flitted over to one of the other survivors and grasped the man by his shoulders, and while still holding onto him, promptly vanished, bringing the man with him. The people and Pokémon alike were stunned, as was Danny. The mech got to his feet and ran for the spot where the man had been a few seconds prior. He looked around, scanning with his sensors and optics for any sign of the Ghost-Type. His mind raced as he tried to figure out where the two had gone, and if this plan would even work.

Jackson blinked in shock as he turned to face the mech who was just as shocked as he was.

The entire room was silent before Hauntz returned fifteen minutes later - without the man. Jackson turned to look at the Pokémon. "Where'd you bring him?" he demanded, fingering the gun. Danny withheld a snort. As if he could harm a Ghost-type.

Hauntz didn't even answer, but merely grabbed onto another person, a woman this time, and phased out. During this time, Danny kept track of everyone, and also had his sensors on high alert for anything that could indicate a spike in electrical energy around the area. All he could do now was hope his plan worked.

The wait was agonizing, especially considering how the electrical ambiance in the air was starting to increase. Danny's eyes widened as he realized what this meant. Raikou must've spotted Hauntz returning to the city ruins. He looked back at Jackson and a few other people left in the underground chamber. The rest had all been evacuated over the last few hours, and Hauntz was getting tired. But since there were only a few people left, it wouldn't really tire him much. At least that's what Danny hoped.

* * *

 **Olivine City Hall**

Kyou looked back at the table which was littered with old newspapers and a few recent ones, left no doubt by survivors before they either died or fled to parts unknown. He could see Blaze standing guard, but it was no doubt a matter of time before they were found out. And that they didn't want under any circumstances, especially since Goldenrod City was close to Olivine City.

"Well, nothing big here that could be of use..." he muttered.

" _Sir, it's Danny! We got trouble! Raikou's en route to your location!_ " Danny suddenly blurted over the comm.

Kyou yelped and dropped the newspaper he was holding before he pressed the comm. "Danny? Did you get any survivors?" he asked with a hint of urgency.

" _We did. Fifty men, women, and children, along with fifty five Pokémon. We're heading back to the city now so we can bug out!_ " Danny reported.

"I want a full report as soon as we leave!" Kyou ordered.

" _Roger! See you in ten!_ "


	7. Kusanagi-class Aircraft Carrier

**File # 006**

 **' _Kusanagi_ '-class Aircraft Carrier**

 **Type:** Aircraft carrier

 **Displacement:** 100,000 to 104,600 long tons (101,600–106,300 t)

 **-Length-**

 **Overall:** 332.8 m

 **Waterline:** 317.0 m

 **-Beam-**

 **Overall:** 76.8 m

 **Waterline** : 40.8 m

 **-Draft-**

 **Maximum navigational:** 11.3 m

 **Limit:** 12.5 m

 **Propulsion:**

2 x palladium-hydrogen fusion reactors  
4 × steam turbines  
4 × shafts  
1100 MW of power

 **Speed:** 30+ knots

 **Range:** Unlimited, 30 years

 **Crew:** 5000+

 **Sensors and processing systems:**  
AN/SPS-48E 3-D air search radar  
AN/SPS-49(V)5 2-D air search radar  
AN/SPQ-9B target acquisition radar  
AN/SPN-46 air traffic control radars  
AN/SPN-43C air traffic control radar  
AN/SPN-41 landing aid radars  
4 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems  
4 × Mk 95 radars

 **Electronic warfare & decoys:** SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suites; SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasures

 **Armament:** 16–24 × RIM-7 Sea Sparrow or NATO Sea Sparrow missiles; 3 or 4 × M122 Kamex CIWSs or RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (future upgrades include "Extremespeed" missiles in VLS cells and depth charges)

 **Armor:** 64 mm Kevlar over vital spaces

 **Aircraft carried:** 85–90 fixed wing and/or helicopters

 **Nickname(s):** Blade of the Sea, Sword of Ransei, Big K, Lucky K, Katana of Hope

* * *

 **NOTES**

In the aftermath of the Undampening, the first things that prompted a change in policy for naval commands were attacks on ships from the coastal kingdoms. Thousands died in those attacks, with the only ships surviving being those of exceptional build quality and endurance in terms of speed and agility. The ships that fit these criteria were battleships...

And aircraft carriers.

Aircraft carriers carried with them a veritable air force to drive off attacks, which contributed heavily to their high survival rates. Therefore after Ransei was unified, it became a priority to build as big an aircraft carrier fleet as possible, leading to several new classes being constructed at once, the most noteworthy being the highly advanced _Kusanagi_ -class. These carriers have the fastest speed on record, and therefore have the ability to sustain long high speed runs due to the palladium-hydrogen fusion reactors.

The palladium-hydrogen fusion reactors are cool fusion reactors that fuses protons into helium atoms. The term "cool fusion" is actually a misnomer as the intense magnetic fields compress the hydrogen atoms adsorbed onto the palladium to an extent that fusion occurs produce temperatures in the millions of degrees centigrade (similar to how a hydrogen plasma is compressed by magnetic fields in a tokamak reactor). High-powered microwaves are used to preheat the palladium matrix to initiate fusion.

The hydrogen gas is pumped into the reactor where it is absorbed onto the palladium matrix. The waste helium is vented into the atmosphere (or collected for use). Argon gas flowing through pipes surrounding the reactor is serves as a coolant. Thunderstones (natural or synthetic) convert the heat and neutrons directly to electricity (conversion efficiency greater than 70%).

The reactors are quite large and heavy due to radiation shielding and plumbing required. In addition, the substantial amount of palladium and thunderstones required for a reactor (up to 20 kg of palladium and 55 kg of thunderstones for a shipboard reactor similar to the one on an aircraft carrier) as well as the skilled labor and expensive structural alloys required to manufacture them make them very expensive, which is why the _Kusanagi_ -class is the only class outfitted with these reactors.

The reactor itself has a lifespan of approximately 30 years before the thunderstones must be replaced. The palladium matrix has an essentially indefinite lifespan. However, as the matrix ages, its ability to store hydrogen decreases due to defects accumulating in the crystalline structure. In theory, this means that more hydrogen needs to be pumped into the reactor to "force" hydrogen to adsorb onto the palladium matrix. In practice, the effects of aging on the palladium matrix are negligible.

Due to the reactors' enormous power output, the _Kusanagi_ -class has been outfitted with a new type of catapult to launch the fighter jets. Rather than use steam, these new catapults use electromagnetic energy to launch a platform to the end of the flight deck. The new catapult system is much more effective and less prone to a malfunction in the system, leading to a large increase in reliability and ability to launch aircraft rapidly, allowing a large force to be mobilized within minutes or hours.

The carriers themselves are heavily outfitted with modern equipment and state of the art aircraft, such as the Fearow tilt-rotor and the Skarmory fighter jets.

These flexible aircraft allow the carriers to be heavily defended, although the ships also possess armaments for defense if any Pokémon get past their air defense screens. The radars are used to coordinate air defense or missions with the rest of the fleet, or battle group, or with land missions. The countermeasures needed are also highly effective in deterring some Pokémon from attacking, such as Fearow, Wingull, or even Pelipper, as shown in recent missions to Hoehn to try and help establish more of a friendly relationship with the region.

The _Kusanagi_ -class attained fame with its legendary speed and ability to strike like a sword striking down at an unsuspecting adversary, hence why it's become the spearhead for any naval assault on any Pokémon-held shores.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"These carriers are one hell of an asset!" - Captain Helena Green, RNS _Masamune_

"Hate to admit, but the expense is well worth it. These things are lethal!" - Secretary Hilda Yates, Ransei Naval Command

"Love the reputation, hate the expensive reactors. But, what the hell? Better than using some outboard motors!" - Captain Zachary Everdeen, RNS _Murasame_

"The reactor is well worth the expense." - Director Nathan Wallis, Aurora Defense Industries Shipyard

"Gotta love these things! Speed and firepower in one!" - Captain Yules Jackson, RNS _Excalibur_

"Have to say that the Supreme Warlord did somethin' right this time!" - Captain Yukio Kamiki, RNS _Mithrl_

* * *

 **August 2, 5 YDR**

Fiore was one of the first nations to lose contact with the rest of the world.

In the initial aftermath of the Undampening, many nations and regions struggled to maintain constant communications with one another, only to fail as power was lost and as battles took the lives of many people, including communications specialists. Many nations were left to their own devices, such as Oblivia, which became an island nation of scavengers and barbarians ruled by a despotic dictatorship, or Ransei, which evolved into a nation of superior status in the technological and military fields. Other nations barely managed to hold onto their human heritage while some became overrun with Pokémon and in some cases controlled by them, such as with Kalos.

Due to the needs of the war as it progressed, many people with family in Fiore and Almia became worried about them. That led to many theories and rumors spreading about the possible fates of the two nations. Theories such as Pokémon ruling them with human slaves and as food made some people sick and others such as the governments isolating the region for their own protection made some people relieved, but worried nonetheless. Only when the Church of Ragnarok remnants that still thrived put forth an absurd theory about alien invasions and divine judgment did the Ransei Council of Lords take action.

The Supreme Warlord sent out an expedition to try and put those crazy notions to bed once and for all.

The ship chosen for the mission was none other than the renowned aircraft carrier, the RNS _Kusanagi_.

Captain Sarah Bradford narrowed her blue eyes and studied the ruins of Fall City outside the bridge windows. The ruins were partially obscured by the rain as it fell down in sheets. She ran a hand through her short messy blonde hair before replacing the hat on her head and turning to face the radar operator. "Anything?" she asked.

"Negative, ma'am. The entire area is as dead as a tomb," the man replied.

Sarah frowned and gritted her teeth, punching the armrest of her chair in frustration. "Damn!"

"If there were any hostiles, we'd know," the radar operator said.

"Sonar, anything on subsurface?" the captain asked.

The sonar operator turned to face her, a grim look on her face. "Yeah. A few Gyrados, but they're nowhere close to our position."

"Okay. Keep an eye on them," Bradford ordered.

She nodded. "Yes, ma'am!"

The woman returned her gaze to the outside, and she narrowed her eyes a bit more. "I wonder what happened here in the aftermath of the Undampening to render contact virtually zero," she mused.

"No clue, ma'am, but we do know one thing," her XO, Commander Mike Gilligan, replied. His brown eyes were hard and his thick curly black hair was exposed since he held his hat in one hand under his arm. He looked at her.

"What's that, Mike?" Sarah asked as she looked at him out the corner of her eye.

"That whatever happened also affected Almia. And as you know, the two regions were very close to one another in proximity, so it makes sense that whatever made Fiore fall out of contact also affected Almia," he replied. His hand gripped the crystal shard around his neck, which flickered in the dim red battle lights of the bridge. Sarah's own crystal flickered in response and she looked down at it, holding it tightly in response.

For a while, silence filled the bridge as the massive aircraft carrier continued its approach. As they drew closer, Sarah's eyes widened as she saw the extent of the damage that had been done over the course of the war and the initial aftermath of the Undampening.

Most of the buildings were heavily damaged, and in some cases, were nothing but hunks of rubble and debris. Holes and large chunks had been torn out of the facades, and vines were starting to reclaim the lost territory. The docks were a cluttered mess of shipping containers and cranes with ships lying rotting at their mooring slips and the large warehouses were corroding around them. But what really surprised her were the glimmering windows in some buildings, which indicated power. And power meant people were living here.

It was completely contradictory to what she had been expecting, to what they all had been expecting.

Sarah stood and walked to the window, pressing her hands to the glass and struggling to see through the rain; even her enhanced eyesight could barely make out the shapes of people strolling down the post-apocalyptic streets. A few Pokémon were with them, and she wondered if the region was as bad off as she had feared. She only got her answer when a loud alarm began to blare on the city ruins, and in response, the carrier's own alarms began to wail. Sarah whirled to face the Master Chief, Kevin Terrace. His whitish hair was almost blood red in the battle lights and his brown eyes seemed to take on a reddish tinge reminiscent of dried blood.

"All hands, general quarters! General quarters! General quarters! All hands man your battle stations!" he barked, his deep baritone echoing all over the massive vessel.

As the alarm wailed and the order was given, the crew scuttled to and fro, manning the weapons and getting to the jets on the deck of the carrier.

The helicopters on the deck were the first to get into the air. Their engines spooled up and two or three lifted off at a time, starting to circle the area. A few jets scrambled thirty minutes later. As they circled the vessel, a few smaller craft from the harbor began to speed out towards them, and two other shapes lifted off from a makeshift airfield located close to the docks. They were heavy lift helicopters hastily outfitted with guns on the sides and underbellies. Bradford hissed angrily as she removed her hands from the glass. She turned to look at the Master Chief.

"Kevin, make sure everyone is prepared for possible combat! I repeat, make sure everyone is prepared for possible combat!" she barked.

"Already did, ma'am!" Terrace replied as he saluted. "Everyone's at their battle stations!"

"Good!" She turned to the helmsman. "Helm, all engines back now!"

The helmsman gaped for a few moments before he responded. He grasped the throttles and yanked back on them hard.

The bow of the massive carrier suddenly drove itself into the ocean, forcing the entire bridge crew and carrier personnel to literally feel the shock as the ship came to a stop as fast as she did. Sarah gritted her teeth as she struggled to remain standing; same with the rest of the crew. A few pens and cups went flying and clattered or smashed to bits on the steel floor. She turned to look at the radar operator.

"I need a sitrep!" she ordered.

"We got two helos inbound and fourteen smaller craft approaching from multiple directions!" he reported. "And all of those smaller craft seem to be armed, ma'am!"

"With what?" Sarah snapped.

"Unknown weapons at this time. If they get closer, we may be able to ID them!"

She clenched her fists. "Dammit!" Then she turned to face the commander of the air wing on board, Captain Kenneth Laws. "Ken, I need your men to stand ready!"

"Already on it, ma'am!" he said, saluting. "We're ready for them if they try anything!"

The captain nodded, only to suddenly burst out swearing as the entire ship shuddered from the impacts of explosive rounds launched from the helos and the smaller watercraft as they swerved and came in hot from the sides and front. She gripped the console and looked at the helmsman. "Get us outta range here!" she barked.

"No can do! We got incoming from the rear; they're trying to barricade us in the port!" he cried.

"Dammit!" Bradford snarled.

Ken gritted his teeth as he turned, his brown eyes hard and his brown hair flying around his face as he got on the horn. "This is Captain Kenneth Laws to all CVW members! We have incoming hostiles from all directions, and all of them are armed to the teeth with rocket launchers and guns. Their objectives are unknown, but are clearly hostile to us all. So it is now our mission to drive them off and show them why we shouldn't be messed with!"

The pilots didn't even hesitate as they opened fire on the inbound helos. The closest helicopter banked to the left, firing off several rounds at the carrier's fighter jets and helicopters. The closest jets fired off their "Ekans" air-to-air missiles, trying to get a lock on the helicopter as it released chaff from the rear and sides. The chaff distracted the missile's heat-seeker warhead and they exploded harmlessly away from the helo. The helicopters circling the aircraft carrier opened up with their own guns, striking a few of the smaller boats as they zipped around the lumbering vessel, trying to deal damage to the hull or engines. One of the fighter jets sped down in close, arming a bomb and dropping it right for the boat. The bomb missed its target, but the shockwave and explosion of water was enough to strike the vessel and cause it to sink.

A few others fired their guns and started stitching a path towards the closest boats, striking them and riddling them with holes. The forward momentum of their engines was enough to flood the boats and they went under, forcing the crews to bail out. Meanwhile the helicopters kept circling, trying to get a lock on the large carrier with their missiles and rocket launchers. Sarah gritted her teeth as the two helos opened up on the carrier. She turned and barked out an order.

"Launch chaff and flares at once!" she barked.

The crew responded by deploying the countermeasures and in the nick of time. The red and orange heat-balls launched, drifting down and catching the attention of the heat-seekers of the missiles and rockets. They sped right for the flares, detonating away from the carrier's flight deck, which was a godsend, but a few got through and exploded against the structure of the carrier's bridge. The whole vessel shuddered down to her hull plates and the captain barked out another command. "Launch the Sparrows!" she cried.

A few missile launchers turned and primed themselves for battle, their operators standing by.

"Missiles armed and ready! Kill track 3-0-2-5! Salvo size two!"

"Kill track 3-0-2-5!"

"Salvo size, two!"

"Birds away!"

The two missiles left their launchers, homing in on the helos' heat signatures. The closest helicopter tried to evade, but the missile kept on its course and exploded against the vehicle, sending it plummeting into the ocean below. The second helicopter saw what happened to its buddy and tried to juke and evade the missile. But helicopters weren't known for their agility; the second helo was taken out in a flash of heat and sound. The charred remnants fell into the ocean and exploded.

The smaller boats, seeing that their air support had been knocked out, turned and fled as fast as they could for the shore, taking care to avoid the docks and any possible land forces that were now coming to investigate the commotion. Bradford's eyes were hard as she turned back to the windows and looked out. She raised her PokéGauntlet to her eyes and narrowed them as she studied the digital screen displaying the readout of hostiles in the area thanks to advanced GPS and spy satellites.

"We got trouble..." she muttered.

"What kind of trouble?" Mike asked seriously.

"Tanks. Tanks and heavy trucks. They're coming to the docks," Sarah reported as she lowered her PokéGauntlet.

"So what'll we do?" the XO asked.

"We send out a team further inland closer to the city limits. Try and avoid the docks at all costs," she said as she handed them off to the nearest officer. "And I'm going with. I need to see this for myself."

"Oh, no. Not alone you're not!" the commander said as he approached and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Who knows what's out there?"

Bradford had to admit he did have a point. But what else were they supposed to do?

She pursed her lips and sighed out her nose. "Okay. You got me," she said. "You're coming with, along with anyone else who wants to go with."

Her XO cracked a grim smile. "All right. I always wanted to see what the End of Days looked like anyway." Sarah rolled her eyes as she smacked him lightly across his chest. His sense of humor never ceased to amaze her, even in the darkest of days.

* * *

" _Attention Saberhawk Three, you are cleared for takeouff!_ " the voice of the controller reported.

The pilots adjusted the controls of the helicopter and started to spool up the engines to allow for liftoff. The rotors cut through the air and the craft lifted off the deck of the carrier. The tanks and trucks, according to the data, would not be there for another two hours, so that gave them time to try and scout out the area before they had to fall back.

The helicopter was to hover nearby for the entire time they were there, just for in case they needed to make a quick getaway, which, Sarah hoped, was not the case. She shifted in her seat as she looked out at the ruins below, noting how as they drew closer it appeared to be worse than it had initially looked. Her eyes went wide as she stared at the sight of people actually living on the streets, most clad in thin rags and some with festering sores and wounds. Her hand flew to her mouth at the sight of pus oozing out of their infected sores and she felt her stomach lurch.

The helicopter pilots touched down at an intersection, eyes hard. One of them shot a glance at the captain.

" _Okay, ma'am. We'll stay in this general area. But you have to make it fast. No lingering beyond the two hour mark,_ " he cautioned.

She nodded and, still holding her mouth, leapt out, followed by her XO.

The two landed on the street, and at once Bradford noticed the way people were staring at them. Some of the people huddled in groups against the collapsed buildings while others glared at them with hateful expressions not uncommonly found in wild Pokémon. A few even started hissing or throwing objects at the two. Mike grunted at the pitiful sight. Other people meanwhile were staring at them with strange looks that made the captain shudder. Some people started stepping closer, reaching out their grubby hands, pleading looks on their faces.

Her hand flew for the pistol strapped to her belt.

Mike's eyes narrowed dangerously as he slipped his own pistol from its holster.

Tension filled the air as the two naval officers faced down these dirty, filthy, and destitute people. While the two officers might've been stronger, well-fed, and physically fit, the number of poor outmatched them, and it was clear that they'd die if they even tried to fight. Bradford's eyes hardened as she gripped the pistol, but didn't remove it. She held out a hand, and Mike lowered his gun, but had it ready in case any of the surrounding people made a move on them.

One of the men made a motion as if to step forward, and at once Bradford spun around, her hand drawing out her pistol.

That prompted others to start grabbing whatever they could and throwing it at the two. The naval officers turned and ran down one of the filthy streets, trying to avoid getting pelted with everything ranging from nuts and bolts to dirt, mud, and even fecal matter. Bradford gritted her teeth as she looked back at Mike. "Still wanting to see what the End of Days looks like?!" she growled.

Mike ducked a glob of fecal matter and looked back at her with a sort of wry smirk. "Heh. Maybe?" he joked.

Bradford shook her head in exasperation at her XO and his fascination with the whole situation. But then again, he had been a buff for this sort of genre when he was a youth, so it helped he had some knowledge of what to expect and how to deal with it. So she was secretly grateful he was on her crew, which proved to be an advantage when dealing with these kinds of situations.

The two kept running, leaping over cars and pipes lying in the middle of the street, avoiding old shopping carts and bicycles. Sarah grasped a nearby garbage can and tossed it aside as she vaulted over a dumpster. Mike meanwhile slid his body under a pickup truck and got to his feet not even a second after sliding out the other side. He looked back over his shoulder, and smirked. "They won't be able to really follow us this way," he said. "Debris makes for good blockage."

The captain looked back, her blue eyes hardening at the sight.

"Maybe, but something tells me they'll find a way past it. During the Apocalypse people tend to find ways to overcome the odds," she noted.

Mike looked at her with a sort of weird look, but he brushed it aside as he slowed to a walk, the captain doing the same.

Sarah finally let out a sigh as she holstered her gun. "Glad that we didn't have to kill anyone," she remarked.

The XO did the same thing with his own pistol and nodded. "Yeah. But sooner or later we may have to fight back. People in the Apocalypse, if they have little to lose or gain, tend to become like scavengers and animals. So if they have a means to kill with, they will do so in order to gain sustenance to live. There are no food stores, no fast food joints, no farms that are operational in large scale. Food and water become commodities, as do any rare metals. It's basic knowledge to buffs of the Post-Apocalyptic genre," he said, shrugging.

Bradford nodded, knowing what he was talking about. She had boned up on a few of his books, and found that most of it tended to be common knowledge between authors. She looked back at him. "So, what rare metals would be used as currency?" she asked.

Mike grunted. "Anything from steel to copper. Gold becomes a most precious and coveted metal, so anyone who has it could be considered king. But the real power holders would be those who had food and water. That becomes an essential commodity during an apocalyptic scenario," he told her as he looked back at a pair of women trying to barter for goods with stones. The man they were bartering with had stacks of food and water, and Bradford felt a twinge of fury in her chest that seemed to resonate with her crystal. She grasped it to hide its distinctive blue glow from the man who eyed her in a leering fashion. One of the women held out a small cluster of coins, and the man sneered as he took them, examining them and then weighing them one at a time. He finally handed the woman a small package of noodles and waved her on.

"This... is..." Bradford's voice trailed off as she looked at her XO.

"Sick?" Mike supplied. "I know it is. But it's the way of life. We were lucky in that our region was really left pretty much intact. Gotta be glad for the Link."

She nodded. "Yes. I for one am not taking it for granted."

Mike turned and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her away from the sight of another woman preparing to offer her body for food. That alone made her want to do something to stop this, but then again, they were only here to gather intelligence on the entire situation. She felt glad that Mike was able to guide her back away from the scene and down another street to what appeared to be an avenue of stands and makeshift shops.

Their eyes went wide at the sight.

Men and women milled around, some filthy and even naked children running around, playing and jumping in the water left behind by cracked piping and sewers. Most of the vendors wore simple clothing, like gowns and two piece baggy outfits, mostly consisting of old T-shirts and raggedy pants. These people were clearly not as bad off as some of the others they had seen, but were still considered poor. A few Gogoat pulled carts and wagons loaded with goods up and down the avenue, and some people even rode the beasts. The people buying wares from the vendors seemed to be handing out what metal belongings they had, ranging from necklaces and rings to watches and even old coins.

"Like I said," Mike told her quietly as they inched away from the street vendors. "Metal and food become commodities for trading here."

She nodded and the two sighed once out of sight.

Bradford shot a glance at her PokéGauntlet to see how much time had elapsed since arriving in the city. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed that they had only forty-five minutes left for scouting. "C'mon. We have to head back to the intersection."

"No go," Mike said suddenly. "Remember those people?"

Sarah grimaced at the memory of the flying fecal matter. "Don't remind me!" she grumbled.

"We need to find another spot for the helo to pick us up," Mike told her.

Bradford shot her gaze around the area, trying to find a spot for a landing zone (LZ) for their helo. Her eyes suddenly landed on a nearby park overgrown with trees and wild flora. "Here!" she remarked.

The XO blinked, but nodded. "That'll do."

After a bit more talking and a quick comm to the helo, the two resumed their exploration, this time sticking close to the park for a quick extract should the need arise. Sarah gripped her pistol in her hand and peered around the corner of a building to see if anyone was coming down the street. No shadows were visible, but footsteps could be heard some way down the road. Mike's eyes hardened as he grasped the binoculars he had around his neck and examined the street further down with them.

A pair of shadows was coming their way.

"C'mon!" he hissed. "Down!"

The two ran back towards the park and ducked beneath the brush and bushes.

Two men came into their sights and with them they had a large Gogoat, hauling not a wagon full of wares, but of metal objects. "Fuckin' dipshits!" she swore under her breath. She discreetly reached up and tapped the comm she wore, sending static signals back to the helo. It was time to go.

* * *

The helo touched down an hour and a half later as the large carrier turned around and started to steam at full speed away from the ruined city. The information gleaned wasn't much, but the overall situation was grim enough to them to warrant a report sent back to Aurora. Sarah stood on the bridge as the ship headed out to sea, leaving Fiore behind. Her eyes were hard as she gritted her teeth. She clenched her fists as she looked back at her crew.

Each of them, the entire ship actually, had been briefed on the situation and they all had the same looks on their faces: disgust, worry and fear. But there was also a sense of drive and purpose. A sense to correct this mistake and try to make a better world. If anything, this had served a purpose that none of them could even begin to fathom. It was an indirect purpose, really. It was a morale booster, a reason to fight on.

The region's situation, being controlled by gangs and thugs, was enough to prompt many of them to consider taking action once they were discharged from the service in ways such as politics, engineering, and medical care. Yet that was a long way off. And it was a big "if" since no one knew when the war would end.

Sarah turned to face them fully. And they all stood at attention.

They all had the same look in their eyes. Drive, passion... and hope.

Yeah.

They'd win this war someday.

For everyone.


	8. LGM-X54 Extremespeed

**File # 007**

 **LGM-X54 "Extremespeed" Cruise Missile**

 **Type:** Long-range, all-weather, multirole subsonic cruise missile

 **Weight:** 1300 kg (w/o booster), 1600 kg (with booster)

 **Length:** w/o booster 5.56 m, with booster 6.25 m

 **Diameter:** .52 m

 **Warheads:**

-Nuclear W80 warhead

-Conventional 450 kg of high explosive or submunitions dispenser/cluster bomb

-Crystal Pulse Charge (CPC-21B)

 **Detonator:** FMU-148 since ELAM Block III, others for special application

 **Engine:** Avia International F107-WR-402 turbofan using TH-dimer fuel and a solid-fuel rocket booster

 **Wingspan:** 2.67 m

 **Operational range:** 2500 km

 **Speed:** 890 km/h

 **Guidance system:** GPS, Inertial guidance system (INS), Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM), Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC), active radar homing

 **Launch Platform:** Vertical Launch System (VLS)

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Have to say, these missiles are really handy. Uxie's got nothing on these!" - Gunner's Mate Third Class David Harpes, RNS _Guardian_

"Extremespeed. An apt name, considering the speed." - Greg Madison, Aurora Defense Industries

"So... this is it. All our research has come to fruition. I just hope it can make a difference." - Dr. Jacob Watts, Aurora Defense Industries, Missile Command Research and Development

"Like the missile. Very handy and versatile. A lot better than some of Kaminko's research. But hey. Each to his own, I guess." - Petty Officer Rene Kimiko, RNS _Overdrive_

"LaRousse sure had good researchers. Without them, this whole project may not have been possible." - Supreme Warlord Spray Krane during a news conference

"We owe them." - Diego Rodriguez, Aurora Defense Industries, Missile Command Research and Development

* * *

 **NOTES**

Dr. Kaminko's research does bear fruit quite often.

His eccentric ways and ideas tend to sometimes have flaws and his inventions are sometimes impractical. Yet his weaponry is top notch. Even so, there are some flaws to his weapons, and as such, some people have begun to wonder if some of them are even practical. As a result, Ransei started searching out people to collaborate with in creating a new weapon to deal more powerful blows to Ho-oh and Uxie's Pokémon forces. Their search led them to find Hoenn amidst war, and in the middle of it all, a surprising new ally.

The Republic of LaRousse has proven to be a key ally in not just military matters, but economic and also scientific endeavors. Their scientists and researchers have brought new ideas to the table, and as such, they have allowed us to create and successfully test for the first time, a new kind of missile: the LGM-X54 "Extremespeed" cruise missile.

This missile was developed after two years of intense research and testing, starting with the "Aqua Tail" rocket and improving on the basic design. The first tests were abysmal failures, and after some debate and going back to the drawing board numerous times, the design for the "Extremespeed" came into being. Propelled by a jet engine at subsonic speeds, this cruise missile is capable of mounting a variety of warheads, ranging from nuclear to conventional to even a Crystal Pulse Charge capable of letting out an EMP burst to disrupt Psychic-Types' abilities. The missile's modular design allows it to be fitted for a variety of roles and ranges. Its maximum range though has been calculated to be 2500 km over the course of the testing.

While able to mount a nuclear warhead, the missile is primarily outfitted with high explosive, clusterbombs or a CPC-21B warhead.

The high explosive warhead is meant to inflict as much damage as possible to targets within the vicinity of the impact point. These are triggered by a proximity detonator, allowing them to explode within the range of the target. The blast wave often does more damage than the actual explosion, but those unfortunate enough to be caught within the detonation are dead regardless.

The clusterbombs are more of an effective way to deal more damage to targets depending on the bomblets installed. The bomblets are highly effective in dealing with large concentrations of Pokémon such as Forretress due to their shells and high defense. Their combined shaped charge, fragmentation and incendiary effects are useful in this event. However, due to the need to keep them hidden from Uxie's prying eyes, measures such as coating them in Kevlar, painting them in green and brown shades, and even disguising them as debris in urban settings have been undertaken. These measures have been proven effective in some cases, but in others, not so much.

The CPC-21B warhead is a unique and powerful variation of an EMP released from a nuclear bomb, utilizing the energy of the Heart of Ransei in its crystal shard contained within the warhead. Recent research has shown that the Heart's energy, when stimulated by electrical currents of the same polar charge, can cause overloading and therefore an explosion of energy that can render Psychic-Types 'dumbed down' for lack of a better expression. This works by releasing the emotional energy contained within the crystal and overwhelming their psychic powers and therefore stunned by the sheer force of all that energy. The effects lead them to have a sort of "duuhhhhhh..." expression on their faces, hence why it has been called the Dumb Bomb by some of our soldiers and sailors. This kind of warhead has also been noted to disrupt Electric-Type Pokémon and render their powers useless or dulled to what they once were prior to the Undampening. Yet this is only a temporary measure. Still, this warhead, painted a bright blue to signify its origins and cargo, has proven to be a blessing in disguise when dealing with overwhelming amounts of Psychic-Type Pokémon and in some cases, even psychic humans who went mad with power.

Theories abound as to why this is possible, but there have been no satisfactory explanations. One well supported theory though is that when the emotional energy is detected by the empathic abilities of psychic humans or Pokémon, the sheer volume tends to overwhelm them. Psychics by nature are able to pick up emotional distress or fluctuations by their powers. It makes them vulnerable to other Psychic attacks, which is why they tend to use special techniques to block those attacks or defend against mind control. These techniques are all mental, but the crystal shard, when detonated, releases all the energy contained within to generate a sort of "shockwave" that shatters these defenses, rendering the emotional energy onslaught more potent, leading to the "dumbed down" looks on their faces.

When the missile is launched from its canister via gas pressure in the VLS, a solid-fuel rocket booster takes over and propels the missile into flight for its transfer into cruise mode. Once in flight, wings unfold for lift and the airscoop is exposed before the engine kicks in for cruise flight. Over land, it relies on Terrain Contour Matching, or TERCOM for short, to find its target, assisted by Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation software (DSMAC) and GPS to fall within an error circle of about ten meters. Once in the vicinity of the target, it detonates according to the type of detonator installed in the missile.

The decision to combine it with the increasingly outdated Spike missiles' sea skimming capacity has increased its role from just a land attack missile to a guided missile suited for multiple roles, keeping in line with Ransei's military doctrine for flexibility on all fronts. The combination efforts led to several spectacular failures, but learning from those the research team made the necessary adjustments, such as improving its ability to track targets via its DSMAC software. By integrating a targeting computer into the DSMAC, they were able to allow the missile to track and sink an old cruiser guided by wireless remote, making it an effective anti-ship weapon as well as its ground attack role. The targeting computer also enhances its ground attack capacity by allowing it to target high-profile targets, such as tank barracks or fuel depots.

Hoennese forces have accepted the missile as a part of their arsenal in expanding beyond their borders in the Republic of LaRousse, and in their mission to reclaim their nation from the wild Pokémon under Ho-oh and Uxie's command. Ransei has also accepted a few missiles in exchange for handing over some consumer goods recently redeveloped in the aftermath of the Unification.

* * *

 **February 7, 7 YDR**

 **Ransei Coastal Command**

The LaRoussian ships sailed abreast as they steamed out of the sun, their engines humming with power from their nuclear reactors. All of them bore the flag of the Republic of LaRousse, and in front of them sailed the most formidable out of the entire fleet: the _Hoenn_ -class battleship, the LNS _Hoenn_. The ships were well armed, as was the tradition of the Republic, as well as safe. To be honest, not many wished to challenge the might of the fledgling state, which was a first, considering how small they were in the eyes of many other nations.

In front of this fleet stood their adversaries, the Ransian Navy's most renowned aircraft carrier and her battle group, which included a battleship of their own, the RNS _Broadside_. The _Broadside_ was an old tub compared to the LaRoussian battleships, but its twelve sixteen inch guns were some of the deadliest ever fielded by a warship, and its own honey-combed armor plating made it a formidable adversary in combat; so the idea of honey-comb armor was not new. It had been used for years until it was lost after the Undampening and was now only being rediscovered by the Republic of LaRousse and even Ransei.

"So, this is it, huh?" Captain Sarah Bradford remarked. "Our final test."

"Yeah. The one thing left to do is test it. And as you know, they're very formidable in their own way," Mike remarked as he looked back at the captain out of the corner of his eye.

The captain studied the fleet with a critical eye, noting how they were in formation around the battleship. Her eyes narrowed as she lifted up her binoculars and scanned left to right, noting the destroyers, frigates, and minesweepers. She guessed that there were even a few subs with the fleet, and off to the rear she could see a large flattop that could only be an aircraft carrier. She knew from the briefing about the LaRoussian battleship's armament and armor, which was state of the art and one hell of a fighting machine. The real threat she knew came from its six twelve inch railguns, three per turret. Even with two turrets they could bring an amazing amount of ordnance to bear due to their incredible fire rate. And its range made it even more impressive; the _Broadside_ and other battleships of Ransei could only get up to a hundred miles. But to offset that they had larger caliber shells and more guns for maximum damage. The next real threat, and the more dangerous, were its VLS. With a hundred ninety-two cells, the missiles were even more deadly in her opinion. And its defenses were even more formidable. That was why they were the spearheads of the fleet.

In contrast, _Kusanagi_ was woefully underarmed, and even outgunned. But she possessed a huge arsenal of fighter jets and helicopters which proved to be an asset in most cases. The only real advantage here was that the planes could unleash their payloads from far range. And the speed at which they flew could be an asset, save for the fact that the 76mm guns could let loose at them from medium to short ranges. Long range was their best bet.

She knew that in order to win this exercise, she had to cripple the flagship. And that was a hard task ahead of them.

"Captain? What's the plan?" Mike asked as he turned to face her.

She frowned and pursed her lips. She knew their chances were next to impossible to defeat that fleet, but they had an advantage of their own: the _Kusanagi_ 's legendary speed was their one asset. And boy, could that carrier sprint when going all out!

"Our only advantage is long range, and we have next to zero chance of even inflicting damage on that battleship," she mused out loud. "On top of that, all we got is speed. That's it, really. So our best bet is to try and outrun them. And stay ahead of them. But with their guns, we can't stay out of range. They have incredible targeting computers that put even ours to shame."

"So, basically put, we're fucked unless we come up with something. And our draft won't be of much use since they can go in shallower water than us," Mike noted sourly.

"True. But we have to try," Sarah commented as she turned her gaze back to the large carrier at the back of the fleet. "And I may have an idea."

* * *

 **LNS** _**Hoenn**_

The captain of the LNS _Hoenn_ smirked a bit as he studied the fleet in front of his own. He could see from the amount of ships gathered that they intended to try and overwhelm him with numbers. It wasn't much of a surprise, since both fleets were practically matched in most areas. He knew of the _Kusanagi_ 's amazing speed and reputation as the world's first fast-attack aircraft carrier, so it didn't surprise him that they'd be there. In fact, he figured that they'd be able to use their legendary speed to their advantage in trying to outrun his guns' range. But LaRoussian targeting computers were even more advanced than Ransian tech due to their city being built around technology and robotics.

But what he did admire about them was their special asset: the Heart of Ransei. In truth, he secretly wished LaRousse had such a thing to further their incredible eco-friendly environment. But the Ransians had beaten them to it.

His eyes widened a fraction in surprise as he noted a large battleship of their own hovering close to the carrier. It wasn't as advanced as theirs, but the caliber of the guns was larger than theirs, he saw. He was surprised they were using such an old tub, but he figured that the guns more than made up for its age and lack of modern equipment. That, and its design appeared more robust. He guessed, correctly, that it was from an age of war between a few major kingdoms, and it sure looked the part, with several scrapes and dents that had been left in place as a visual reminder of what humanity had accomplished during the war. The ship's name he picked out easily: _Broadside_.

The real threat he figured had to come from the _Kusanagi_ , as it carried a veritable arsenal of fighter jets and helicopters, as well as a few other surprises, such as the rumored-to-exist GUNDAM Soldiers he had heard about from one of his sailors when visiting Fontaine during a diplomatic exchange. And to be honest, he didn't doubt Ransei for trying to come up with something like that. But he had to see for himself if such soldiers even existed. He could see carrier crewmen and women milling about, getting the jets and helos ready for the exercise.

Off to the other side, the _Broadside_ turned so that her sixteen inch guns were aimed right at the fleet. He snorted a bit in amusement. Like they'd be able to reach the fleet, let alone penetrate the energy barrier when it went up.

LaRoussian engineers had spent months perfecting it in the aftermath of the Deoxys Incident as it was known.

In fact, that very barrier was why the city had survived intact during the Undampening. Thanks to that, LaRousse was untouched and no attacks could get through. All wild Pokémon were kept at bay by it, and even the raiders and bandits were kept out. So it was no wonder the city experienced a huge growth and economic boom in trying to recover what land had been lost to Ho-oh and his forces. Even Uxie was in trouble this time, or so he hoped. Truth was, with Uxie, no one really had any chance unless they stayed one step ahead somehow.

He had also heard rumors that Ransei possessed in its grasp an Orb of Creation, but he figured it to be just a rumor. Ransei was very quiet on that matter.

The captain, a man named Howard J. Long, a veteran of the high seas and a competent captain, ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his binoculars as he held them up to his eyes. His eyes narrowed a bit as he spotted more movement on the decks of the _Kusanagi_ , and his eyes widened at the sight of several human-sized mechanical beings running to platforms on the deck. He zoomed in a bit and his eyes widened a bit more.

There they were. Fifteen of them, but it was enough to prove the rumors true.

All of them were slim of frame and had wings that could swing back into a folded position almost, and they had a decorative V-shaped crest on their foreheads. Some he could see were bulkier than others, leading him to guess them to be male and female respectively. The first of the mechs turned and apparently started to address the others, waving his hands and speaking out loud. Captain Long grinned a bit as the mechs and femmes then transformed and prepared to mount the platforms, transforming into what appeared to be miniaturized versions of the fighter jets used by the Ransian Air Force.

He had to admit, Ransei was one hell of a nation to have such surprises. And knowing them, they were no doubt trying to come up with some kind of new weapons to offset their technological disadvantage. To be honest, Long was a bit impressed at their tenacity. News of the Unification had spread rapidly to even the devastated regions of the world, so many had started trying to attack the region in an attempt to take their resources and land. But after having fought for five years against the terrorist group known as the Order of Ragnarok along with the fighting against wild Pokémon, they were battle-hardened veterans and were masters at combat in many environments, including the toxic wastes of Viperia and the remains of cities overrun by Muk and Grimer.

A snort escaped him as he looked the man beside him in the eye. "So, what do you think?" he asked.

The XO, Warren Stoll, narrowed his eyes as he looked at the fleet before them. "If anything I'd guess that the major threat will be those GUNDAM Soldiers they've got. If they even exist. From what our representative reported, they're small enough to avoid most of our AA fire and can deliver just as much firepower as a standard Ransian fighter jet," he remarked.

"I'm betting on the speed," Captain Long said seriously as he raised the binoculars again. "But you may be right. So we'll have to be ready."

Both men were very close friends, having been in the service together for over five years now, serving on several ships before being granted their commanding positions on the LNS _Hoenn_. And to be honest, they were very confident in the ship's capabilities, as testing and field experience had shown.

All that mattered now was testing the new missiles.

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

Captain Bradford shot a glance back at the battleship as the LaRoussian fleet began to heave to.

The battleship slowly turned to expose its formidable guns to the Ransian forces in front of them. The other ships assumed their positions around the carrier and battleship to act as point defense. This was it.

The testing began.

Alarms began to wail as the Ransian ships picked up radio chatter from the "enemy" ships and they scurried about, leaving wakes behind them as they assumed battle stations. The captain wasted no time in getting out of her seat and running to the PA. She grabbed the mike and got on the horn. "All hands, go to general quarters! I repeat! All hands go to general quarters! Man your battle stations!" she barked.

The crew responded with lightning precision. Pilots scrambled for their jets and helicopters while the small contingent of GUNDAM Soldiers assigned to their air wing prepared for launch. The platform on which they rested began to hum as energy was sent down its rails to charge them for launch. The first birds in the air were the helicopters, and off to the side, the _Broadside_ swung her guns to aim at the LaRoussian ship closest to her. The old battleship had been hurriedly outfitted with the same VLS system the newer vessel possessed, but it was in no way built around it. In fact, the only Ransian ship that was built around it was the _Gyrados_ -class destroyers, the lead ship of which was known for having killed a giant Gyrados with a few well-placed shots from her five-incher before she was even commissioned.

The _Kusanagi_ 's reactors hummed with power and the energy surging through them made the vessel shudder, as if she were eager to prove herself against the newer warship. And Sarah Bradford echoed that sentiment.

This test would also prove which ship had a better advantage.

The first ship to fire at them was the _Hoenn_. The large guns fired, all six of them. The helmsman reacted accordingly and pushed the ship to speed right off the bat, shoving the throttles forward in a flash.

The screws bit into the water and the _Kusanagi_ leapt forward, as if eager to let loose with her speed. At the same time, the platform for the GUNDAM Soldiers launched, rocketing down the flight deck and reaching the end within seconds. The clamps released and the fifteen small planes were airborne as their jets lit up, becoming lost amidst the incoming fighters as they launched from the LaRoussian carrier and _Kusanagi_. The huge ship surged forward, the shells from the _Hoenn_ barely missing the hull and superstructure. The air wavered in the passing heat of the rounds and they exploded harmlessly in the sea behind the Ransian battle group.

The _Broadside_ opened up moments later, sending a barrage of twelve sixteen inch shells right for the battleship all at once in contrast to sequenced firing by the LaRoussian ship. The other battleship, being more modern, was able to absorb the damage with apparent ease, but the honey-comb armored belt saved the ship from severe damage. The _Broadside_ didn't even hesitate to raise her anchor and peel out of there while doing so as a cruiser launched a surprise attack from longer range. The cruiser's six inch railguns missed the old battleship's guns and structure, but slammed into her hull, leaving some minor "holes" to "expose" the honeycomb structure. The screws churned the water as the old ship lunged forward, taking more "hits" from another cruiser further aft of her position.

The only thing going for them was the fact that Ransians possessed the numbers to outmatch the LaRoussian forces.

* * *

 **LNS _Hoenn_**

Captain Long studied the fleet before him as the ships darted to and fro, dodging the shells as they attempted to gain the advantage in terms of agility and maneuver. The LaRoussian fleet currently had the numbers to match the battlegroup before them, but he knew that Ransei in the aftermath of the Undampening seven years ago had managed to retain a significant proportion of its population in comparison to Johto or even Kanto, which was a surprise. He guessed that their historic Link to Pokémon helped in that, as did the region's warlords.

To offset their lack of manpower though, the LaRoussians tended to rely mostly on robots and drones in their forces, but since they had begun reclamation of Hoenn, those numbers had dropped and human numbers in their armed forces had risen to a significant number to be able to at least match anything Ransei could field. And even then it was limited. Ransei still had a number of surprises in store, he figured.

And right now, one battlegroup was all that was needed to match LaRousse's fleet. But his eyes narrowed as he figured Ransei had something in store for them. They always seemed to, and this was to prove it.

The "fight" raged on, his ship's hull shuddering beneath his boots as the guns roared once more, sending three shells per barrel, right down towards the old _Broadside_. But as befitting her name, the smaller, but plucky little battleship let loose with her own ordnance, sending her twelve guns' rounds in his direction. He smirked a bit, knowing that they would miss at the angle of fire. But what he did _not_ expect was for a salvo of missiles to be launched from another ship lurking behind the old battleship.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

Captain Neils Attica smirked as the smaller destroyer crept up under the cover of the _Broadside_ in front of his vessel. The _Gyrados Giant_ was the latest and most advanced destroyer the Ransian forces could field to date, and like all current ships, was outfitted with the new VLS cells. These destroyers were termed guided missile destroyers, or DDGs, by the naval command and all subsequent destroyers would be classified as such. The ship himself was outfitted with at most 132 VLS cells, each equipped with the new LGM-X54 "Extremespeed" cruise missile, developed and crafted under a joint Ransian-LaRoussian research committee. And a third of these missiles were set up with the CPC-21B warhead, a top secret Ransian weapon.

The firing made for a great distraction as he turned to face his Tactical Action Officer (TAO) Daniel Barker. The man had his headset on as he eyed the screen at his station. He adjusted his glasses and held up his crystal to look at the display. The blue glow accented the smaller dots on the display and he turned to face the captain. "Sir, we're ready!" he said.

"Okay. You know what to do!" Attica remarked.

The TAO nodded and the orders went out.

* * *

 **LNS _Hoenn_**

Captain Long was shocked when he saw several streaks launch from behind the _Broadside_. The old battleship turned hard to port and peeled away, exposing a new ship as two more streaks launched from the VLS cells on deck. The ship was painted in blue and slate blue, better to blend in with the surroundings, and the only real dead giveaway of this particular ship was the number on the side of the hull. This was the DDG-212, _Gyrados Giant_. "Prepare to launch countermeasures!" he barked.

As the missiles homed in on the _Hoenn_ , several countermeasures were launched, one of which was the micro missile launcher. The weapons targeted on the missiles and launched their own micro missiles in response. The smaller projectiles streaked towards the larger missiles, and upon contact, exploded. The two sets of missiles canceled each other out, effectively. But that wasn't the case for all missiles.

Two of them survived the initial barrage.

The "Extremespeed" kept on target with the large battleship and the dual projectiles exploded once in range of the target. Unlike most EMPs, the CPC-21B wasn't known for shorting out electrical systems alone, but it was regardless highly effective in shorting them out when compared to standard EMPs. The difference was the range of electronics affected, as that included the Pokéglov. Only Ransian PokéGauntlets were effectively shielded against this kind, as were some of their older ships.

The EMP pulse struck the ship, but surprisingly, it held up against the assault, as its electronics were heavily shielded. Only the lesser shielded electronics were affected. Radio communications went down, but radar, sonar, engines, reactors, weapons and fire control remained operational. AC and heating were also down. The ship's lighting blinked out and the ship's battle lights kicked on. The dim red glow cast itself over the bridge and CIC, bathing everyone in its reddish touch. The radar screens continued to shine in the darkened room, and Captain Long narrowed his eyes. ' _So, they had a surprise for us. But it didn't work as well as they had hoped. We're still operational,_ ' he thought to himself.

"Sir!" an officer cried. "The shield generators have been knocked offline by the pulse!"

Captain Long turned to face the man. "What?!" he blurted.

"The pulse bomb knocked our shield generators offline. The tech guys say that they can have them up and running in a matter of minutes , but it means rerouting power from the nonessential areas of the ship in order to bypass the fried circuits," the man replied.

"Then have them do it!" Long barked. "We're going to be needing them as soon as possible if they try another attack like that!"

The man nodded and within seconds sent word to the shield engineers, telling them to get to work.

Rerouting such a shield was not an easy task, but due to the fact that they had trained for this in the event of Electric-type Pokémon shorting out the main circuits, they had it down to a science and within five minutes they had the shield back up and running by diverting power from the nonessential areas such as the rec room and officer quarters. The generator hummed with power as the captain heard it over the din of the combat outside. While it wasn't very loud, his keen hearing allowed him to pick it up and he smiled in relief as the missiles from Ransian ships launched again, this time the older battleship adding her own arsenal to the mix.

The barrage of missiles streaked for them and Long smirked as the energy barrier came online, flicking into existence and forming a sphere of solid energy around the ship. The first wave of missiles exploded harmlessly against it, but the sheer energy of the pulses threatened to shut it down. The generator, while able to sustain the barrier for a time, wasn't able to fully maintain it before a second wave of the missiles, this time from the _Gyrados Giant_ , slammed into it once more and shut it down. The circuits for the vital systems weren't able to maintain the barrier any longer and the entire system shut down. Thankfully while they didn't short out, they had to shut it down to recharge it.

And that was the chance that Bradford seized.

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

"Aw, fuckitall!" Mike swore loudly. "They had shielding?!"

"Apparently," Captain Bradford noticed. "But apparently the energy barrier can only sustain so much damage before it shuts down. And that is our chance to strike! We've gotta make sure we can get in some hits now on that battleship!"

"Should I contact Marcus?" Kenneth asked, his eyes locking onto his superior.

She nodded. "Yes!"

The commander of the air wing nodded and ran for the comm station. He grabbed the headset from a surprised officer and placed it on his own head. " _Kusanagi_ to Lt. Franklin! Are you there, Marc?"

" _Yeah, I'm here! But it's a real furball out here!_ " the voice of Lieutenant Marcus "Marc" Franklin shot back over the radio. " _We got jets from the_ LaRousse _out here and they're just overwhelming us!_ "

"Well, we got a new target for you and your boys and girls. Think you can break off long enough to do that?" Kenneth asked.

" _Depends. Anything would be better than attacking that flattop! Who's fuckin' idea was it to have us attack that thing in the first place!?_ " Marc shouted.

"Your new target is the LNS _Hoenn_ , the flagship of the battlegroup. Their barrier's been shut down due to EMPs from our missiles, so it's open to attack. Try and overwhelm the defenses at close range. Try and also hit the shield generator. That may be the best way to shut it down for repairs," the commander replied.

" _Are you fuckin' batshit crazy?!_ " Marc swore. " _That's just asking to be killed!_ "

"Better to do it than risk losing it all fighting that flattop! That's just asking for trouble!" Kenneth shot back.

Grumbling was heard as the lieutenant considered. Finally, the reply came through.

" _Okay. But you owe us three hundred Poké dollars each!"_ Marc said.

"Deal. Now go." Kenneth hung up and sighed. "Three hundred... that's a steal from us."

"Better to be safe than sorry," Bradford remarked as she looked at him. "Just hope they can do it."

* * *

 **Battle space**

Lieutenant Marcus Franklin swore out loud as he did a barrel roll to the side, transforming into his GUNDAM shape as he gripped his machine gun in one hand and a shield in the other. He looked back over the fighting, noting how the Ransian jets were starting to make a difference as twenty more were scrambled from the _Kusanagi_. The only trouble he could see was that battlecruiser, the LNS _Dewford_ , steaming for the large group. "Shit!" he shouted. "That battlecruiser's going for the fleet!"

"So, what're your orders?" his second in command Lt. (jg) Helga Tamako asked as she flipped around, gunning for a plane with her machine gun. The specially crafted rounds exploded with red paint on the jet's wing and the pilot withdrew from the fight. "We can't take out that ship by ourselves!"

"I know, Helga! I know!" Marc shouted at her. He narrowed his eyes a bit as he thought, his mind racing. He could split up his team, but that would leave them open. There were only fifteen of them, and however many he sent would not be able to overwhelm the sheer number of missiles this ship carried. The best bet was to at least take out the flagship, and fast. "I know one thing: we gotta take out the flagship before that cruiser nails the fleet! So here's the plan. You and I will go for the _Hoenn_ while the rest go for the cruiser!"

"But sir! We'll be overwhelmed!" Helga protested as her eyes shrank a bit in shock.

"It's either that or lose the fleet!" Marc told her. "Now no complaining and c'mon! Debbie, you're in command!"

"Aye, sir!" Debbie Marko replied. She gunned her engines and shouted to the rest of the team. "C'mon, you apes! We got a fleet to save!"

As the rest of the GUNDAM contingent fled back towards the fleet to defend it, Marcus and Helga sped towards the LaRoussian battleship. The defensive shield had not yet come back online, so the duo took the chance and dove down, transforming into plane mode to dodge the defenses as they came online. Using their agility to their advantage, the two GUNDAM Soldiers flipped around and did barrel rolls, loops, weaves, and even inverted flying to keep the defenses engaged. It helped that their frames were of the new Jet Stream variant, built for speed and agility.

Marc would've gritted his teeth were he still human, but his ailerons in aircraft form bristled a bit before he was forced to go into an Immelmann turn to avoid getting hit by several dozen micro missiles. He released a bunch of chaff from a small compartment below his engines and the missiles exploded amongst it harmlessly as he prepared to drop a payload of small explosive charges down the length of the ship. He sped around once more and opened the bomb bays, releasing the small bomblets to latch onto the vessel, and they exploded, releasing paint along the length of the entire battleship. He smirked mentally as he saw Helga drop a small bomb right down onto the structure of the bridge. The bomb was a small charge that released thick red smoke, a signal for a few fighter jets to come in fast and hard.

* * *

 **Battle space**

The rest of the GUNDAM Soldiers sped in towards the _Dewford_ as she prepared to let loose with several missiles right for the Ransian fleet. Their speed roved to be just the edge they needed as they got in front and armed their machine guns. While it seemed ridiculous to rely on only a small group of mechs and femmes, the way they worked together often offset their disadvantage in size and numbers.

Debbie Marko, the third in command of the unit, grasped her own machine gun and hefted it at chest level. Her wings twitched as she looked to her own designated second in command, Thomas Din. His reddish gold eyes were hard as he looked at her. "You sure about this?" he questioned nervously.

She nodded, but deep down she too was nervous. What if they failed?

Yet she was forced to brush it from her mind as the ship's VLS opened up, sending a few "Extremespeed" missiles their way. She tensed her frame, and on either side of her, the rest of the unit did the same. "Okay. This is it. Give it all you got and bring down as many as you can!" she barked. "GO!"

The fight to try and intercept the missiles was hard and grueling, as they were pushing themselves to their utmost limits. One soldier, Oliver Jackson, nearly got clipped by a missile but he grabbed onto it and, using his strength, swung it back at another, exploding the two in one fireball. That was just a fluke though; he had forced his core to divert most of its energy into his hydraulics to pull off such a move. The others turned to bullets or lasers in some cases, destroying as many as they possibly could. But thankfully, they didn't have to wait for long.

* * *

 **LNS _Hoenn_**

"Sir, the generator is halfway recharged!" the officer reported to Long.

The captain nodded, his face dead serious. "Good."

"Sir! We got incoming!" the gunnery control officer blurted. "It's... It's a squad of Ransian Skarmory fighter jets!"

"Shit!" Long swore. He turned to face his TAO. "Tell me our defenses are still operational!"

"Yes, sir," the woman replied. "But we've got trouble on the outside, too." She made a motion out the window and Captain Long looked out, his eyes widening when he saw a small plane fly past, splattering thick red paint on the window. The GUNDAM Soldiers were apparently harassing his ship. He scowled.

"Two GUNDAMs? Not enough to bring us down," he noted. "Prepare to fire the lasers. Let's see if that will drive them off."

His words were overlooked though, as the lasers were still taking time to charge. The GUNDAM Soldiers took advantage of that and darted off as the Skarmory jets came rocketing in, releasing training missiles loaded with blue and red paint. They exploded against the hull of the ship's sides and the vessel shuddered from the impacts. "Dammit!" Long shouted. "How much longer?!"

He didn't have to worry any longer. But unbeknownst to him, the ship was about to come under missile fire once more, this time from an unexpected source.

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

Captain Bradford smirked a bit at the sight. Blue and red paint marked the sides of the _Hoenn_ while going down the length of the ship were splotches of red paint. The structure was also covered a bit in red and blue paint, making it look like something out of the days of hippies and nature lovers.

But the reality was that that age had long since passed and was never coming back. She forced it from her mind as she turned to look at the _Broadside_ preparing to fire a second salvo of shots from her sixteen inchers.

The carrier was already in position to retrieve any fighters that ran out of "ammo", as well as simulated battle damage. As she watched the fight between the ships, her eyes widened as she saw the flashes of light consistent with the launch of the "Extremespeed" missile. And this one was headed right for them!

Her eyes widened as she realized what this meant. "All hands, prepare for shock!" she yelled. She whirled to face one of the bridge officers. "Deploy countermeasures at once!" she barked.

The man nodded and at once ran to his designated station.

Outside, the carrier's chaff dispensers launched several flares to attract the heat sensors in the warhead. The reddish balls of light caught the attention of the missile and it streaked towards one of them, detonating once it was in range. The shockwave buffeted the large carrier, but shrugged it off as she continued to hold position.

Mike turned to look at her. "Ma'am, I think it would be best if we resumed movement," he said. "We're sitting ducks out here."

A series of flashes from the large flattop in back of the LaRoussian fleet seemed to foreshadow his words.

The captain's eyes hardened and she nodded. "I agree. All ahead full, left full rudder! Now!" she barked at the helmsman.

He nodded and spun the wheel as he pressed the throttles to full ahead. The massive ship seemed to slowly gain speed, her screws thrashing the water all around her stern as she increased her speed. The speedometer on the screen closest to him ticked higher and higher, the ship's rudders wrenched to port, putting her bulk into as tight a turn as he could get out of her. As he did so, the captain gave another order for countermeasures to be deployed against the salvo of missiles. Chaff fired from the entire starboard side's launchers, along with flares as the carrier increased speed continuously.

Captain Bradford looked back, her eyes hard, as she watched the LaRoussian fleet continue its assault on her own.

The _Kusanagi_ 's legendary speed was finally revealed to the forces arrayed before them. The ship's wake was impressive from the air, as several fighter pilots noticed in awe. It seemed to them that the carrier was indeed sprinting like a marathon runner, her massive palladium-hydrogen fusion reactors humming with power and sending that power directly to her engines and screws. The ship's true speed had never been clocked before due to the need to keep it secret; only in top secret test runs had she been opened up to full.

Rumors of her top speed had circulated around the country for months, but now, it was revealed to the "enemy" fleet.

*Censored for security reasons*

When the _Kusanagi_ -class had first been constructed, the concern for such powerful reactors had been that the speed resulting from their use would tear the ship apart. But in reality, despite all the fears and misconceptions about the failure of the structure, they somehow held together, and if anything, seemed to strengthen at that speed. This speed was what led to the ship's reputation as a fast attack carrier, able to reach destinations quickly and launch strikes before retreating. The sharp-edged bow allowed the ship to cut through the waves with ease, much like the old battleships.

The carrier sprinted past several LaRoussian ships, startling them. Not one of them was expecting a ship to be able to sprint that rapidly across the ocean.

That speed also disrupted a few missiles that had missed the flares. Since it was moving so rapidly two of the missiles flew off course and exploded against one another. Two more crashed into the ocean and exploded harmlessly. The last one stubbornly clung on before the carrier made a hard turn to starboard and it sailed overhead, exploding in the air above them.

Captain Bradford grinned. "That's the way we do things here!" she remarked. "Now, bring in the heavy firepower!"

* * *

 **RNS _Aurora_**

Captain Terrace Larson grinned as he got the call from the captain, and he spun to face his bridge crew. "Okay! We got the signal! We're going out!" he called.

The crew let out a yell of anticipation and they scrambled to their battle stations, the battleship's engines cranking into overtime as extra steam was shunted directly to the boilers. This was a risky attempt as it tended to overstress the engines and certain parts that were not meant to take this kind of strain. While dangerous, it did offer up to five knots extra speed for these kinds of ships. But in spite of their seeming antiquity in the modern era, their stability, durability, firepower, and reliability made them assets that would stick around for years to come.

The RNS _Aurora_ was one of the first locally constructed battleships in Aurora's navy, the rest having either been purchased or captured during wartime with the other kingdoms. But its sleek structure and guns were all influenced by those other ships. And like all the others, it was armed with very formidable weapons, mostly the same sixteen inch guns the _Broadside_ possessed. And it just so happened that there were two other battleships in the same channel with them, the RNS _Lapras_ and RNS _Koenig,_ both of which were outfitted with the less powerful ten inchers.

The three battleships steamed out into the fray, bringing their guns to bear on the other fleet. Well, they would've if this was a real attack. But due to the situation, they were to fire and miss, the shells exploding behind the ships to simulate damage. The guns fired, sending the shells rocketing over the nearby battleship _Hoenn_ and exploding beyond its stern. The captains of the three vessels cheered, the simulated hit having been dead on.

* * *

 **LNS _Hoenn_**

Captain Long saw the explosion of the shells beyond the stern of his ship and he sighed. "All engines stop. We've been immobilized," he reported.

The helmsman responded by slowing the battleship to a dead stop in the water.

He hated to admit it, but Ransei had one-upped them this time. He had not been expecting those three battleships to come steaming out of the channel like that. And it also helped that the geography of the area had acted like a natural radar barrier to shield them from the radar of the LaRoussian fleet. The cliffs played a big part in that. He looked back at the _Kusanagi,_ now at a dead stop herself. He was still surprised at her sheer speed, but he brushed it aside as he contacted the captain over the radio.

"LNS _Hoenn_ to RNS _Kusanagi_."

The radio crackled as the captain's voice came over the line.

" _This is RNS_ Kusanagi. _I see you sustained damage to your engines,_ " she remarked with a slight grin in her tone.

"Yes. But I have to admit, I was not expecting that kind of attack," Long replied. "You sure surprised us with that EMP and the battleships."

" _That EMP was designed for use against Psychic-types, as well as any psychic humans who went mad with power. It's also got the effect of shorting out electronics and Electric-type Pokémon. So, it's good for dual use. But we're not going into technical matters. It's way above my pay grade to tell you,_ " Bradford shot back.

"I figured as much," Long replied as he smirked. "Still, the missiles, as you can see, were a huge success."

" _Yes, but only in tests. We've yet to use them fully in combat,_ " his fellow captain stated. Her voice indicated she was dead serious.

"I know. But so far, if they work as planned, we should have a new weapon to our arsenal very soon," Long told her. He adjusted his position. "And I have to admit, you Ransians still have a lot of surprises in store. I never expected a carrier to be that fast."

" _Thank the palladium-hydrogen fusion reactors,_ " Bradford laughed. " _Without them, we may not even have a chance. They're really effective, I will admit. I heard though that the Supreme Warlord wants to open up a trade agreement with your country. Maybe you could use these things._ "

"That would be beneficial to both our countries. We could give you something in return. But that is up to our President and your Supreme Warlord to decide," Long noted. "We're just mere naval captains."

" _True, but we're not just naval captains in this world now. We're guardians of humanity, in a way,_ " Bradford said solemnly. " _And this is not a burden to take lightly._ "

"I understand, Captain. And I have to admit, it was quite a refreshing surprise to see that Ransei still has an edge in military tactics. So, now that the exercise has concluded, would you like to meet for lunch?" the _Hoenn'_ s captain asked.

" _Sure, as long as you don't mind fresh fish,_ " Bradford joked.

Both laughed at the joke as they hung up.

Yes, it was a successful test indeed.

* * *

 **The "Extremespeed" missile is in use by both the future Republic of LaRousse in Janus366's Hoenn saga of Poké Wars and Ransei in my future arcs.**


	9. MB007 Steelix

**File # 008**

 **MB007 "Steelix"**

 **Type:** Main battle tank

 **Weight:** 62-64 tons

 **Dimensions:** 7.93 meters (hull length); 3.66 meters (width); 2.44 meters (height)

 **Powerplant/Drivetrain:** Crystal-integrated fuel turbine

 **Range:** virtually unlimited

 **Performance:** 72 km/h on roads; 48 km/h offroad; 97 km/h (governor removed)

 **Armament:** 120mm smoothbore cannon (projectiles vary; see notes for details), coaxial 7.62 mm M242 machine gun w/ 10,400 rounds, 1 x 12.7 mm remote controlled rotatory heavy machine gun w/ 900 rounds

 **Armor:** DU armor plates overlaid onto composite armor consisting of silicon carbide pebbles suspended in polymer matrix sandwiched between titanium armor. Synthetic Spinarak silk cloth anti-spall liner located on interior cockpit. Armor thickness is classified

 **Countermeasures:** smoke grenade dispenser, Trophy Active Protection System (TAPS)

 **Crew:** 4 (commander, loader, gunner, driver)

* * *

 **NOTES**

Most tanks used by the Human-Legendary Coalition are very formidable.

Even the Blastoise has its own niche.

But one thing that most of them lack is range, and range can make all the difference on a battlefield.

That was the first thing Ransian troops learned during the fighting against the Order of Ragnarok and Ho-oh and Uxie's forces. Normal tanks, while effective, were limited by their fuel supply, which was a severe logistical nightmare for them. Having to transport fuel across Ransei to the battle sites also put the tanker trucks at risk, which was a huge downside when spearheading tank troops encountered Lust at the Battle for Avia. The trucks and fuel supplies were destroyed during the battle, and afterwards the tank forces suffered appallingly in the next few battles. Without range, the tanks were dead in the water.

Cooperating with LaRoussian scientists and taking knowledge from their own MBT and prior experience in developing engines using the Heart of Ransei's energy, a team from Aurora Defense Industries was able to develop a new main battle tank to take the fight to where it was needed most on the battlefield: the MB007 "Steelix". The tank itself has proven to be easy enough to create. All it consists of is a modified chassis of an MB002 "Onyx" MBT, swapping out the synthetic Spinarak silk plating with depleted uranium (DU) plates to add to its protection. While this increases the weight of the tank, it's considered negligible in the long run due to the engine and the protection it offers.

The engine has also been changed out to a crystal integrated turbine engine, allowing it to be charged directly from the Heart of Ransei. The charge, like the GUNDAM energy cores, has been estimated to last for months, or years even, depending on how long it's used for. Due to the need for mobility on the battlefield though, the charge has been averaged at best to be about seven to ten months. This range allows the tank to roam all over the place, allowing them to spearhead any assaults deep into Pokémon-held territory like in Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, or even Kalos. Of course, this also came with an impressive speed. So that meant that limiters or governors had to be installed to prevent the tank from tearing its own treads off during movement. So, theoretically, the tank can exceed its own limits, at huge cost though. The reduction of fuel emissions is a huge bonus, as it also means that there is no hot exhaust to be picked up, and the heat signature is negligible under most circumstances.

The tank's main 120mm smoothbore cannon has also been upgraded to allow for a range of projectiles to be fired.

The projectiles are as follows:

 **Anti-tank Guided Missile** \- a guided missile that has been specially modified to allow it to be fired from the 120mm cannon of the Steelix. While not advisable under most conditions due to possibly exploding in the gun and shattering it, this weapon, in last resort actions, has been known to take out large amounts of Pokémon with high defense like Forretress and even Golem at times. The missile in question has been designated the possible fourth generation of ATGM compared to the first through second generations, which could not be fired from the 120mm cannon, and the third generation ATGM, which could be fired from the cannon with a few changes done to the missile itself. They normally had to be launched by a portable rocket launcher, and were bigger and bulkier. To make it small enough to be fired from the main gun while retaining explosive power was a challenge in its own right, but Ransian engineers managed to bypass the loss of power by introducing a crushed fire gem into the warhead, painted red for recognition purposes.

 **Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot (APFSDS)** \- This type of ammunition was developed to combat against possible gangs in areas still rife with conflict, such as in Almia and Fiore. Intelligence from refugees and wounded survivors rescued by Ransian warships has proven to be valuable in helping to understand what kind of ammunition was needed in the coming fights. In order to maximize the amount of kinetic energy released on the target, the penetrator must be made of a dense material, such as tungsten carbide or depleted uranium (DU) alloy. While the hardness of the penetrator isn't as important, it still has a factor to play as abrasion is a major component in the defeat of the penetrator mechanism. As a result, DU has to be augmented with other hard alloys, such as nickel, zinc, or in some cases, both. DU tends to be pyrophoric, so the heated fragments of the penetrator ignite after impact on contact with air, setting fire to fuel and/or ammunition in the target vehicle, thereby compensating for the lack of an explosive warhead. The DU shards tend to display something called adiabatic shear band formation. The formation of adiabatic shear bands means that the sides of the "mushroom" tend to break away earlier, leading to a smaller head on impact, though it will still be significantly "mushroomed". Tests have shown that the hole bored by a DU projectile is of a narrower diameter than for a similar tungsten projectile. This kind of projectile is painted a green color.

 **High Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT)** \- The warhead is as it states: a high explosive anti-tank round. Highly effective, this warhead comes with a variety itself. The basic will be covered, and some of the variants will be listed below.

Most charges of the HEAT type tend to use what is termed the Munroe effect. The Munroe or Neumann effect is the focusing of blast energy by a hollow or void cut on a surface of an explosive. The stream of metal fragments is intended to cut and penetrate enemy armor, which has led to some ghastly effects on Pokémon that have been caught in the blast, but have been effective in dealing with Onyx, Golem, and even Forretress in large numbers. The smoothbore gun means that these kinds of rounds don't spin and lose their accuracy, although fin stabilizers help as well. This is painted blue.

\- Tandem charge HEAT \- designed for more effective penetration against reactive armor plates - painted with blue and yellow stripes on warhead

\- Triple charge HEAT \- allows for up to 800mm of penetration; useful against heavily armored targets - painted with green and blue stripes on warhead

\- HEAT-MP \- useful against lighter armored targets and older tanks and other vehicles - painted with red and blue stripes on warhead

\- High explosive dual purpose \- designed to also possess a fragmentation and blast capacity with armor piercing - alternating red and orange stripes with blue on warhead

 **High Explosive (HE)** \- High explosive rounds are meant to blast through enemy defenses. While effective, these kinds of rounds aren't as effective against enemy armor or strong defenses like with Magneton or Steelix. In fact, the only types of Pokémon these rounds are effective against are Rock-types and Ground-types. The warheads are painted a solid orange.

 **Anti-personnel canister cartridge** \- This warhead is designed for use against enemy infantry or Pokémon who have no real defenses. Canister shot consists of a closed metal cylinder typically filled with round lead or iron balls, normally packed with sawdust to add more solidity and cohesion to the mass and to prevent the balls from crowding each other when the round is fired. At times when the supply of balls is limited, nails, scrap iron or lead, wire, and other similar metal objects are included. When fired, the canister disintegrates and its shards and projectiles spread out in a conical formation, causing a wide swath of destruction. The effect is to turn a large-caliber gun on an armored fighting vehicle into a giant shotgun. This can be used against enemy infantry even when in proximity to friendly armored vehicles, as the projectiles do not penetrate armor. In addition it can be used to create entry points to buildings, reduce wire obstacles and clear heavy vegetation, as well as strike low flying aircraft and helicopters, or even Flying-types. This warhead is painted a dark grey.

 **Advanced Multi-Purpose round** \- A new warhead in development. It will have point detonation, delay, and airburst modes through an ammunition data-link and a multi-mode, programmable fuse in a single munition. Having one round that does the job of four would simplify logistics and be able to be used on a variety of targets. The AMP is to be effective against bunkers, infantry, light armor, and obstacles out to 500 meters, and will be able to breach reinforced concrete walls and defeat ATGM teams from 500 to 2,000 meters at range. This warhead will be painted a dark purple.

In addition to the main armament, the tank is outfitted with a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun to attack lesser Pokémon and infantry from the gangs of Fiore and Almia, or the guerrilla attacks of the Order of Ragnarok remnants. There is also a Trophy Active Protection System designed to shoot down ATGMs before they can get close to harm the tank. This system has proven to be handy more than once.

The other gun is a heavy 12.5mm machine gun to engage heavier opponents or airborne Pokémon such as Fearow or Wingull. The gun is meant to act as a secondary defense for if the other guns are occupied or taken out of commission.

Countermeasures are designed specifically for fighting in urban areas or battlefields that could endanger the tank or crew. One such countermeasure is cage armor on the back to protect against rockets or even some Rock-Type attacks from Golem or Onyx or any others in the area. The side armor is composed of reactive armor that explodes out upon impact from AP rounds or HEAT rounds. The explosive plating has also been known to detonate from Fire-type attacks such as Flamethrower or Fire Blast, often shredding the Pokémon that launched the attack. A smoke grenade dispenser allows the tank and crew to quickly bug out under cover of smoke.

The Steelix has proven itself in many fights, and there have been talks about improving it and shipping some out to the other countries of the HLC.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Okay. The range is amazing, and the firepower is great, and the armor is phenomenal. A lot better than other tanks. Still, the speed isn't that great. But hey. Everything else is amazing." - Commander Gerald Detrick, Company A, Third Shock Guard, Fifth Armored Brigade, Third Army Group (Fort Nell)

"Hell... I'd give anything if these were standard!" - First Lieutenant Naris Po, Company B, 17th Tank Support Battalion, Fifth Armored Brigade, Third Army Group (Fort Nell)

"Hey, Kaminko! Get your ass over here so we can show you _our_ main battle tank!" Corporal Lennox "Oxface" Halls, Company E, Second Tank Battalion, 92nd Greenleaf Armored Brigade

"Gotta say, we did something right! Take that, Kaminko!" Brigadier Soran Ishmal, Company B, 15th Tank Battalion, 9th Armored Brigade, 48th Shock Force Group

"Not to knock Kaminko, but this is one tank we just may export. His other weapons are good, but his tanks leave a lot to be desired in the range department." Captain Neil Yu-pi, Company B, 17th Tank Support Battalion, Fifth Armored Brigade, Third Army Group (Fort Nell)

"Hate to brag, but this tank, while expensive somewhat, is better than our old models." Technician Ozzy Napels, Fort Nell Mechanic Division

* * *

 **Fiore, 17 March, 7 YDR**

 **Ruins of Fall City Outskirts**

The wind blew around the ruined streets and houses as the road lay desolate. A few trees whispered in the wind, their leaves chatting with their fellows and spreading their unlearned language to other trees and shrubs. A few cries echoed as a small flock of Pidgey flew past, rustling the trees and startling the leaves into a frenzy. None of the trees were able to comprehend the sight that was to befall them shortly, for they were too focused on their own matters and lives. They could not hear, nor see the vision of two massive tracked vehicles tearing through the brush, their jungle-painted camo concealing them from view.

The two vehicles burst through the brush into the clearing, the light from the moon shining down on them, revealing them to be the MB007 Steelix main battle tank, the mainstay tank of the Ransei Army. These two tanks belonged to the Third Shock Guard, a team from the Fifth Armored Brigade sent out to try and establish a sort of foothold in the region of Fiore to try and force the gangs to fall back and to get relief forces in to help the poor and destitute the war had left behind. The commander of this small detachment was none other than Gerald Detrick, a four year veteran of the fighting in Ransei's neighboring region of Kanto.

Commander Detrick stood on top of his leading tank and peeked through the brush with his binoculars, the crystal around his neck glowing dimly in the darkness of the trees. His PokéGauntlet hummed a bit before a small chirp caught his attention. He lowered his binoculars and took a peek at the gauntlet's screen. A small envelope icon was blinking.

He scowled and dropped the binoculars back around his neck as well and pressed the button next to the screen. The message popped up and he skimmed it, his brown eyes hardening in response. He closed out of it and ran a hand through his shaggy red hair before ducking back down into the tank. His broad build made it a cramped space, but he brushed it aside and adjusted his massive frame for the seat. Once in place, he grabbed the headset and placed it on over his helmet. He tapped it and spoke into the mike.

"Larry? You hear me?" he asked.

" _Aye, I can. But really? Did they have to send us out to this wasteland dump?_ " Larry Yamina asked, his voice echoing his displeasure at being here. And frankly, Commander Detrick couldn't blame him. After he lost an eye here several weeks before, he had sworn to never return to this land. That was when he had transferred to the Fifth Armored Brigade and got assigned to the Third Shock Guard.

"Larry, look. I understand why you dislike being here, but we've got our orders," Detrick replied gently. "And to be honest, I don't like the idea of being here either. Especially with gangs and bandits wandering around..."

" _Hate to admit it, but I think we may just run into one of said gangs in a moment,_ " the driver, Theresa Whitestone, replied.

" _How far out?_ " Damien Grayson asked from his gunnery station.

Theresa snorted. " _Ask the commander,_ " she remarked dryly.

Commander Detrick looked at his screens and monitors, his eyes hardening. He could barely make out anything on the screens, save for a few Pokémon flying overhead and the second tank he had ordered to accompany his own. He frowned a bit as he tapped the screen with a finger. "Nothing present for fifty klicks," he stated. "But that doesn't mean they're not out there. They're just probably concealing themselves from-"

He was suddenly cut off as he felt the tank shudder from an impact and he heard Theresa swearing rather creatively over the headset. He tore it off his head and tossed it down on the console before popping the hatch and peering out. His eyes went wide as he stared at a cluster of vehicles from the Almian Defense Corps emerging from the brush, each of them no longer painted the drab brown they had been before the Undampening. This time, they were painted in zigzag patterns of black and white and his body shuddered as he picked out what appeared to be human and Pokémon heads mounted to the fronts like war trophies. Blood dotted the sides of the vehicles, adding to their menacing auras.

The M004 Groudon armored personnel carriers growled as they made their way forward, the leader standing atop his vehicle.

Detrick snorted a bit at the display of pride and superiority. He knew that the Groudon was one tough APC, making it reliable in most circumstances, but it was in no way a substitute for the Steelix, which was vastly superior in the technological department. The commander undid his restraints and clambered out of the tank to stand on the turret behind the .50 cal machine gun. He narrowed his eyes as he looked the other man up and down. He could sense the APCs were surrounding them, and he figured that there had to be a way out of this. He pursed his lips as he studied his adversary.

He could see by his build that this man used to be either ex-military or a former Pokémon Ranger. But something told him that was not the case, judging from his expression and the fact that he was clothed differently. The other man wore a rag tied around his bald head, the Mohawk hairstyle adding a menacing appeal to him. He wore no shirt, revealing a muscular build and tattoos laced up and down his arms, the vest doing little to conceal the man's broad shoulders and chest. His legs were clad in tattered blue jeans and a pair of motorcycle boots clad his feet. His face was painted with war paint and blood both, adding to his gangster appearance. His eyes were hard as flint, and were the same color as well. He held in his left hand a battered shotgun, and on his left leg was a bloodstained knife. Around his neck the man wore what were unmistakably human ears and a dried tongue.

The commander shuddered as he felt bile rising in his throat. He kept it down though and somehow managed to avoid looking grossed out.

The gang leader leveled his shotgun and held up a bullhorn in his free hand. "Hold it right there! This here is Gamagan territory! Anyone seeking to pass through has to pay the damn toll!"

"What toll?" Detrick called.

"The toll!" the gang leader barked. "Any rare goods you possess are to be handed over to the Gamagans!"

Detrick's eyes narrowed a bit as he heard the terms. His hand clenched itself around his crystal, feeling the slight heat of built up energy. He wanted to do nothing more than get out of this situation, but considering how they were surrounded, they had no choice but to either pay up or fight.

And he was in no way willing to pay up by handing over their crystals or other weapons.

So that left one option: fight.

"Sorry, sir. But that is not an option," Detrick called back. "We have no rare goods. So either you let us pass..."

Larry picked up a shell and slammed it home into the chamber of the gun. Damien took the chance and pivoted the main gun around to aim right at one of the APCs, the other tank locking onto another one.

"Or else!" Detrick growled, his hand falling away from his crystal. His eyes were hard as he gazed at the gang leader. "Now, which is it?"

The gang leader sneered, his eyes hardening into stone. "Then I guess we'll just be taking your tanks!" he hissed.

"Bad mistake!" Detrick snapped. He slipped back into the hatch and slammed it shut, locking it behind him as he got back into his seat and replaced the headset on his head. "Okay, Dominic! Let's go!"

" _Right, sir!_ " Dominic Guerra exclaimed. " _We'll show these gangsters just how wrong they are for having picked a fight with us!_ "

"Dominic, calm down! Let's just get the hell outta here and not stick around. We got other stuff to do!" Detrick cautioned his trigger-happy friend. "We're just here to get a foothold established, not start a war with gangs."

" _Yeah, I know. But the whole world's already in chaos, and we may need to fight if they assault our position,_ " the other commander stated.

The commander had a point, Detrick knew. But right now they had to get out of this trap they were in. He gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes as both tanks awaited the order. He didn't have to wait for long as the APCs opened up with their own guns. The tanks went onto the move right away, engaging their smoke grenades and unleashing thick clouds of smoke to blind and confuse their adversaries. The twin 120mm smoothbore guns roared as one, taking out two APCs before the loaders each equipped another shell to the gun.

The two APCs they had targeted lay in ruins, their twisted remnants burning from the fires ignited when the gas tanks blew. The tanks revved their powerful engines and, still under the cover of their smokescreens, sped through those gaps and pivoted just as the APCs tried to close them. The sounds of crashing vehicles and smashing metal was enough to distract the gang leader as he started barking orders through his bullhorn. And that was all Detrick and his two tanks needed.

Detrick looked at the monitor for his screens and he smirked. The red dots marking the APCs were scattering as they tried to reorganize. He pressed a hand to his headset. "Theresa, bring us about and keep the front of this thing aimed at the group. Damien, turn the turret a bit to the left and elevate two degrees. Larry, get a HEAT round locked and loaded in that gun. Fire at the closest APC and then we're outta here. We'll have to use the terrain to our advantage," he said.

" _Yes, sir!_ " his crew responded.

He felt the engine rev as Theresa gunned the tank and threw it into a spin, pirouetting the massive war machine around and aiming the front at the group of APCs. Larry grabbed another round and he heard the loader's door slam shut on the gun. Damien finally started to raise the turret ever so slightly and to the left. The commander waited for a second before Damien pulled the trigger. The shock rocked the vehicle and he grimaced as the blast resonated through the interior cockpit. The suspension squealed a bit before Theresa turned and gunned the engine, pushing the war machine to its limit.

The second tank was not too far behind, having let loose with its 7.62mm M242 machine gun and chewing up the tires of a few APCs. Detrick smirked a bit as he saw that on his monitor before he became serious again. The large vehicle suddenly shuddered as he heard an explosion of sound outside, and he swore he would hit his head on the hatch if that was any worse. He didn't even want to know what had hit his tank, but from the way it shuddered he guessed it to be an ATGM, which was a problem. He gritted his teeth as he gripped his seat as the tank shuddered from another explosion. The ATGMs weren't doing as much damage as he initially thought, or so he figured.

The tanks vanished into the brush to avoid detection and the APCs lost them. The gang leader barked out orders and they split up.

Detrick watched from the hatch before he pulled it shut and locked it. He sighed in relief. "Thank Arceus..." he murmured softly.

The APCs trundled on past, their drivers and passengers and gunners searching for the two tanks that had taken out several of their comrades. The one good thing about the Steelix tank was that its engine let out no real heat signature or exhaust fumes, plus the sound was close to nothing at this point. Idling made it whisper quiet.

Detrick finally looked at his PokéGauntlet and brought up the screen, dimming it so he could try and preserve his night vision. He also made sure to switch it to a map made up of shades of red. The man scowled. "Dammit..." he muttered. The large group of APCs was now prowling around the area. And that meant they were effectively trapped.

That is until a large surprise came not too far back from the two tanks.

* * *

 **Battle space**

The commander narrowed her eyes as she studied the readouts on her radar.

Off to her side, her gunner frowned as well. "Well?" he asked her.

"Nothing yet," she remarked. "The one thing that really worries me is the gangs out here."

"I still don't know why the commander insisted we go to this hellhole. Not like there's much out here," the loader muttered.

The large tank burst through the brush, its engine whining as the branches swiped at its paint job. While not as sleek or compact as some other battle tanks produced by the HLC, the Hariyama MBT was a formidable beast in its own right, possessing excellent crew compartments and being known for its survivability on the battlefield. The large tank's armament also helped, as did its unique protection system: the same EAPS used in both its warships and in defense of the city of LaRousse.

Whitney Harris and her crew, all of them from the LaRoussian 14th Tank Battalion, Company E, were technically not supposed to be in Fiore, but a malfunctioning navigation system had them dropped off here and not at Slateport, along with the rest of their team. Thankfully the President had made a change of plans and had them establish a base camp there to try and help get things back under control. It also didn't help much because of the thick fog that still covered most of the area. She grumbled to herself as she peeked out through the hatch a bit.

All she could see was fog and brush. She scowled a bit, lifting up binoculars to her face before she blinked in shock at the sight of two vehicles hidden in the brush, and around them darted smaller, more mobile shapes she identified as being APCs. But these she noticed were all painted in gang colors. She narrowed her eyes before she pulled her head and upper body back into the tank and slammed the hatch shut. She took her seat. "We got company," she said.

Her gunner, Derrick Nelson, blinked in shock. "What kind?" he asked, starting to panic a bit.

Tina Varese placed a hand on his shoulder, calming him down. "It's okay..." she said soothingly. Whitney managed a smile at the sight. Ever since his family had been lost during the reclamation of Mauville, he had been nothing but a panicked bundle of nerves. It also didn't help him much that his memory of them had been wiped. But when Tina came into the crew, she and Derrick formed a family bond right off the bat, her calm and gentle nature being like that of an older sister, which he considered her as.

And that same kind of bond extended to the entire crew. So now Derrick had a substitute family in place of his old one.

Derrick calmed down at Tina's touch and nodded. "Right."

"What kind of company do we have?" Whitney asked. "All I can say is that we got a gang out there, and they're circling two stranded vehicles. They look like tanks, but due to the fog and brush, it's hard to make out."

"Any ideas then, boss?" Harry Porter asked, his green eyes looking at the book he held in his hand. He had one arm casually draped over a shell in the breech of the tank's gun, and he had both feet propped on his console. He shifted a bit in his seat.

Whitney frowned as she pondered the situation. Her answer came when the radio chirped. She pressed the button and the system came alive. "Is anyone listening on this channel?" she asked.

The radio only buzzed with static, and her eyes narrowed a bit. Were those unknown vehicles friendly, or hostile? Could they even hear her?

A sudden roar caught their attention and she barked out an order for Tina to activate the shield. The blonde was about to when the vehicle's computer beeped and she smirked, having forgotten about the computer being programmed to activate it upon detecting an incoming projectile or attack. The barrier suddenly flared into existence as the 120mm shell bounced off it and ricocheted into the brush, exploding and taking out a few APCs, but also alerting the remaining five of their positions.

"Shit!" Whitney shouted as she spun in her seat. "Tina, back us up and get us outta here!"

The two unknown tanks(?) were already in motion as the large MBT pivoted on the spot and prepared to dash out of there.

Before any of the three vehicles could make a move, the APCs, or those that remained, anyway, opened fire with their own guns, stitching a path towards the trio without any hesitation. The Hariyama's energy shield flared into existence again as the bullets hit it and the two Ransian tanks engaged their smoke generators, allowing them to bail under cover of the smoke. The larger tank followed shortly after, engine gunning. The tank plowed through the APCs, not damaging their armor, but forcing them aside, really.

The three vehicles kept going before they came to a stop just inside the ruins of Fall City.

The fog was somewhat thinner here, allowing the LaRoussian tank crew to see the unknown tanks were of Ransian make, as the faint glowing blue circuit lines going towards the engine indicated. The hatch on the closest tank popped open and the commander stuck his head out, shining a flashlight mounted on his PokéGauntlet in their direction. Whitney shielded her eyes before popping the hatch and looking out as well.

"You a friendly?" the man called.

"Yeah. LaRousse," Whitney called back. "You with Ransei?"

"Hell yeah we are," the man replied. "You sure gave us a bit of a save back there."

"Hey. Don't call it a save. We got lucky," the woman said seriously. "We could still be in their territory...for..." Her voice trailed off as she got out of the tank and stood up on the turret, eyes wide.

The other commander was confused as he got on top of his tank as well. "What's wrong?" he asked.

Whitney just pointed over his shoulder.

The man turned and his eyes went wide at the sight, his skin paling as the blood drained from his face. He staggered back and collapsed onto the turret, his hands shaking as the light of his PokéGauntlet shone on the grisly sight before them.

Crucifixes stuck up from the ground, which wasn't uncommon in some parts of Fiore, but the shapes attached to them were the uncommon sight: men, women, and children, along with Pokémon, all hung from these. The most horrific part was that there were mainly children hanging from them. Their hands were nailed to the crosses and their bodies had holes carved in the chests where the hearts were, and the hearts were dried out, stuck on spikes in the ground. The men and women had no such thing done, but they all looked beaten and battered, starved to death. Some had even bled to death from their injuries. The Pokémon on the other hand were all bashed and beaten to a pulp, their chests carved up with the symbol of the Gamagan gang.

"What _is_ this?!" he gasped.

"...Animals!" Whitney growled, clenching her fists so tight her fingernails drew blood.

* * *

 **Ruins of Fall City**

Detrick felt sick to his stomach as he gaped at the horrific sight before him. Of all the things he had ever seen, this really took the cake. His stomach lurched and he clamped a hand to his mouth as bile rose up his throat. He grimaced as he gulped it back, trying to avoid catching the attention of any possible hostile Pokémon or gangs in the area. He found himself panting a bit as he felt fury rising in his chest. His crystal hummed with power, glowing a bit brighter in the dim fog.

He could also sense the disgust of the LaRoussians, but only as a vague feeling in his mind. His hand clenched around his crystal and he swore it would leave an imprint on his palm.

The crystals, in addition to providing rudimentary first aid capabilities and allowing Ransians to power their vehicles, allowed all Ransians to sense the emotional energy of others close to their vicinity, thus allowing the Heart of Ransei to build its power even more. While it was a small benefit, the Heart was able to allow the Council of Lords to use its power based on the outside situation, and the overall memories guided it as well. Recently, there had been some strange evidence to support the theory of the Heart having an intelligence of sorts, primarily with its power use. The Heart had never once allowed its energy to be fully used in a war machine such as a tank before, which was something that had thrown the Council for a loop. Whatever the case though, it was proving to be an advantage in its legendary range amongst the Coalition's armored vehicles.

Detrick looked down at his hand, and he scowled. "Damn gangs have gotten a little too bloodthirsty here..." he muttered.

"Gee, ya think?" Theresa shot back out the hatch.

The commander said nothing. He turned to look at the other tank commander. "Hey! You got a name?"

"Whitney Harris!" she called over. "Your name?"

"Gerald Detrick!" he yelled. "With the Fifth Armored Brigade, B Company!"

"Dominic Guerra!" his friend called out. "Same division!"

The woman smiled. "Nice to meet you both. Although I kinda wish it was under better circumstances."

"Same here," Detrick said as he looked back at the sight before them. He shuddered. "Why anyone would do this is beyond me..."

Dominic's dark brown eyes were solid wood in this fog, and he snarled as he clenched a fist. "Damn bastards! Why do this to their own people?!"

"It's not their people..." Whitney said softly. "It's the people of another camp... The Gamagans are looters. They'll do anything to stay alive... as well as show that they mean business..." Her blue eyes were hard like ice as she sat down on her tank's turret. "Been out here a few weeks now. Our base camp is a few hundred miles back. Even though we technically weren't supposed to be here at first."

Detrick's eyes widened a bit. "So you've seen them in action, and you didn't even do a damn thing to stop them?!" he blurted, suddenly feeling enraged at them. He stood up on the turret of his Steelix tank, his eyes blazing with fury. "You could've stopped this massacre! Then these children... all these innocent people... would not be dead or beat up like this! Same for these Pokémon! For all we know, they could've been caught in this war and just wanted to stay alive!"

"You think I wanted to let it happen?!" Whitney cried, getting to her feet and clenching her fists. "I... I didn't want it to happen! But we got there way too late! By then all those people and Pokémon were dead! We had no idea it was even happening until it was too late!"

The commander blinked in shock. They had gotten there too late to even stop it?

"Besides, we just got our base set up, and we had no idea what was happening. Not until we heard the screams from some nearby villagers. We went to rescue them, and they practically fell on top of us, pleading for us to save them. The gang was going after their supplies, and murdering Pokémon as they did so. It fell to us to defend both Pokémon and human residents of that village. The gang attacked us, but we drove them off and they swore revenge. Yet we never saw them again until now..." Whitney said in a lower tone of voice, tears pricking at her eyes.

Detrick felt a pang of sympathy in his chest as he let his hands fall to his sides. He looked down at the metal turret beneath his feet and sighed, finally sitting down and crossing his legs while folding his arms over his chest. "I know... Hard to accept that some people can just be so brutal..." he mused. ' _Not unlike the Order of Ragnarok..._ ' he thought to himself.

Memories of the Order came back to his mind and he grimaced at their sense of brutality and their ideology. He had been one of those involved in the fighting back during the Unification of Ransei, and only afterwards did he feel any sort of relief for having helped to defeat them. He only felt pure rage and hatred for them, but it had been tempered by his sense of justice and honor. It helped his father was a warlord, too. So he had been trained well in how to handle his emotions and balance them. But the war still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"You fought before, didn't you?" Whitney asked, sitting on her own tank's turret again.

"Me and Dominic. We fought in the Unification of Ransei, he and I. We were a damn good team, and still are," Detrick said as Dominic clambered out into the mist. His dark curly brown hair and soulful brown eyes added to his handsome appearance, but right now those brown eyes were like wooden bricks. His light tan skin indicated he came from either the desert kingdom or the southern part of the nation, but his brown hair and eyes pointed more towards the middle region of the land. He folded his own arms and nodded.

"We did. But that doesn't mean we like it," he said. "And we've seen some nasty shit... but not like that..." He looked back at the remains of the bodies and rage flooded his body. He also sensed the emotion from Whitney as he said this.

"You want some help tracking down those scumbags?" she asked, her eyes hard.

Dominic seemed to sneer at this and he nodded. "Hell yes!" he muttered.

The commanders ducked back into their tanks and the engines started, revving as they made their way deeper into the ruins of the city.

The city remains were just perfect for ambushes, and Detrick felt his body tensing. This was one thing that he hated. You never knew when the enemy would strike during urban warfare. The two Ransian tanks had an advantage when it came to slimmer profile at the cost of comfort, but that didn't matter to the crews: they were able to handle it. They had been trained in tanks worse than the Steelix. The LaRoussian tank possessed a bigger profile, and larger engine, but it lacked the range of the Ransian tanks. Still, its safety record was commendable, and that made it a perfect tank for them. The only downside was lack of space to get into buildings through holes. A Ransian tank could in theory avoid detection by idling its engine and going into "hull down" position behind rubble and debris. The LaRoussian tank could not do the same thing at the same level.

As they made their way through the ruins, they had no idea of the attackers moving into position around the area, using the destroyed buildings to their advantage in cover. Of course, no one knew that they were being hunted...

* * *

 **Ruins of Fall City**

 **Main Square**

The leader of the Gamagans, Bruno Ezra, narrowed his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder at the man who was in charge of security for their side of the city. "You damned man!" he shouted. "How could you lose them?!"

"The tanks used the cover to their advantage," his Huntsman replied. "You know how the other gangs are!"

"Still doesn't mean you can't let them get away with this!" Bruno hissed, hefting his gun. "You know what the punishment for failure is! And as it is, you were given way too many chances! So no more!"

The Huntsman's eyes widened as his leader hefted the gun and pulled the trigger. The shotgun roared, hitting the man right in the head and blowing his skull clean off, splattering brain matter all over his APC.

Bruno sighed as he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did so. Things were getting way too out of hand... As he lowered his hand, he looked down at the grotesque necklace dangling around his neck and he grimaced. How he hated that thing... He just wished he could tear it off and throw it away. But he needed it to make a statement. A statement of how ruthless he was. And the rumors spreading about him having a heart of blackness was just what he hated most of all. But that small part of him that took pride in his sick acts was urging him to continue, and he forced it aside. To be honest, it was getting harder and harder to remain who he really was, as that part of him was taking on a persona all its own.

He looked back though, and a sense of relief surged through him as he saw the community he was in charge of protecting.

While consisting mostly of vehicles and tents with a few ramshackle shelters made out of metal and wood, the community was flourishing and a large segment of the square was turned into a garden for fruits and vegetables. The trees were growing nicely and children ran around between the "homes" and families worked side by side with Pokémon to keep the gardens well tended. A few chickens ran around, clucking and squawking as a few children tried to grab them. Men and women worked on keeping the water pipes down, and routing it to where it was needed, and every now and then a Pokémon came back with some freshly killed animals or Pokémon for meat.

To see this sense of normalcy is what brought him back to his senses and he felt relieved at the thought of seeing these people living, and not just surviving. A smile cracked his lips.

His sense of relief was disrupted though when he saw one of his men running towards him away from his Jeep as it pulled up beside the rubble pile Bruno was sitting on. "Sir! We got trouble!" he yelled.

Bruno snarled as he got off the pile and turned to face the guardsman. "What?" he barked. "And no shit."

"We got incoming tanks," the man said.

That got Bruno. His eyes flew wide in shock. "What? What kind of tanks?" he demanded. "Any marks?"

The guardsman scratched at his wild red hair as he tried to recall. "Well... one of them was larger than the other two, and the other two had blue lines of a sort that glowed faintly, going towards the engine. And on their side was an emblem... a four pointed star with a circle of sixteen other stars and wings behind them. The larger one had what appeared to be a blue and white wind rose on the side," he said.

Bruno processed this information.

Tanks. Damn. And they weren't any he was familiar with.

He finally made up his mind. "All right. Get the heavy hitters out there. And I want our ace in the hole prepped as well. If they get close to this community..."

The man gaped at the orders, but nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir!" With that, he turned and ran back to his Jeep, hopping in and peeling out of there with the driver. Bruno surprisingly found himself wishing them luck as the Jeep's engine faded into the background noise of the camp. He wished that he could go back to the Old Days, but he knew it to be impossible. All he could do now was hope for victory for them.

' _Be safe... Arceusspeed..._ '

* * *

 **Ruins of Fall City**

The trio of tanks continued to advance through the ruined streets and past destroyed buildings, unaware of what was stalking them. The commanders looked left and right, but didn't see anything.

At least until a shriek caught them off guard.

A flash of light and sound caught their attention as a projectile streaked from the interior of a half demolished office building, rocketing right for the large Hariyama tank in front of them. The thick frontal plating took the damage, and the heavy vehicle shuddered from the impact. Detrick's eyes went wide as he popped the hatch and poked his head out, only for his driver to suddenly swear as a second missile came streaking from the roof towards them. "Get down!" she screamed. The commander ducked back inside and grabbed the hatch, slamming it shut as the missile barely missed them.

"What's going on?" Detrick demanded, looking at Theresa.

" _We got AT weapons being fired at us!_ " she replied.

Detrick let out a bunch of swears as he heard another missile shriek towards them. He had no idea what direction it came from; it slammed into the side of his tank and the entire crew felt the vehicle jolt, the side taking the damage as the reactive armor deflected the first charge away, only for the second to hit. "Dammit!" he shouted.

" _Sir, I recommend we try to get the hell outta here!_ " Damien yelled.

"I know that! But we're trapped!" Detrick shot back.

" _Detrick, we got trouble!_ " Dominic remarked as the sound of an explosion echoed over his headset. " _We got gangsters launching ATGMs at us!_ "

"Dammit! This day just keeps getting better and better!" Detrick growled as he pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand. "And just when we thought we were outta this shithole!"

He was cut off as he suddenly felt the tank lurch again and he yelped as his head hit the hatch. He grumbled under his breath as he looked at Larry. "Larry, get an HE round ready! I'm gonna man the .50 cal! Damien, get ready, and Theresa, be set to turn when I give the signal!" he ordered.

" _But sir! It's too dangerous!_ " Theresa pleaded. Her eyes were filled with worry as she said this.

"I'll be fine! Just trust me and get ready!" Detrick said as he popped the hatch and got up behind the gun. He shot a glance back at his old friend's tank as the man came out, manning his own .50 cal gun and arming it. He looked at Detrick and the two men nodded. Off to the side, the Hariyama was also getting ready to fight as well. The remote controlled 13mm machine gun already swung about to aim at the closest position from which they were being attacked. The gun aimed its barrel at the closest attackers, now positioned on the roof of the office building located nearest to them. The gun started chattering, sending its rounds right for the enemy forces and taking them out.

The Ransian commanders took that as their cue and both tanks pivoted their turrets as Detrick pulled the trigger on his gun and stitched a path towards the windows from which he could see a man arming an ATGM, one of the Type 01 LMATs he heard about. He sneered as the man fell down dead, his missile launcher crashing to the street below. "Nice!" he heard Dominic shout; how Dominic was able to shout loud enough to be heard over the roar and sounds of battle was beyond him. But he was glad for it regardless.

His tank suddenly lurched back on the suspension as the gun roared, sending an HE shell right for the lower floors close to street level. One of the women manning the ATGM turned and ran while the man prepared to fire it; they never got the chance as the HE shell struck the building, blowing a nasty hole in it and sending some debris cascading down the façade. Glass shards rained down as well. He winced from the concussive force of the blast, but he forced it from his mind as he locked his gaze onto the next floor up. He pivoted the machine gun up and sent a wave of bullets right for it. The windows became nothing but sparkles of glass and metal, the men falling with their heads or arms blown off.

He felt the sudden lurch as his tank scraped against the side of his friend's tank, their armored sides squealing as metal met metal. He brushed it off though and both him and Dominic ordered their gunners to send HE rounds towards the roofs of the buildings surrounding them. Explosions lit up the night as he grinned savagely. Now this was better than just holding back. This time, they were fighting to avenge people who died needlessly. Just like the majority of the world's population when Pokémon became lethal. And they were not going to let the future of Oblivia become the future of the world.

Not as long as Ransei still thrived.

The crystal around his neck hummed with power and he let out a yell as he stitched a path of bullets up towards the next floor, taking out a man with a heavy machine gun. The man collapsed and Detrick whooped with relief.

"Nice shooting!" Dominic called. "But we still got trouble! They're everywhere!"

"I know!" Detrick radioed back; his voice was nowhere near as loud as Dominic's.

Behind him he heard the Hariyama's remote controlled machine gun chattering as more men and women scurried to and fro, trying to get a good shot with their ATGMs. No doubt they had some kind of armory or something, Detrick mused as he ordered Theresa to pivot his tank. He spotted Whitney outside the hatch, manning her own tank's machine gun, firing into the shadows; a small pile of bodies contributed to her success. The two other tanks joined his own as they backed up, so their rears were touching at an angle. Now all three had their barrels pointed down a different street each, waiting for new targets to approach.

But they weren't just going to get two or three.

They were going to get _five_ targets to take down.

A loud alarm suddenly wailed and the fighters suddenly darted off into the maze of ruined buildings, vanishing as quickly as they came. The three commanders looked at one another, wondering what was going to happen. They could only hope for some success in the coming fight.

Of course, it was a lot easier said than done, given the circumstances.

The three tanks idled there, gunners ready and commanders set to give orders. Detrick took the time to send a quick radio check to Whitney. "How you holding up?" he asked her.

" _Fine. Just peachy given the circumstances!_ " she replied. " _I'm surprised you're not checking in with your gung-ho friend._ "

"Dominic I'm not too worried about. And technically, I'm more concerned for you guys given how you haven't faced gangsters before," Detrick told her.

" _And you have?_ " the LaRoussian asked.

"Not as much as I'd like to claim, but yes. I have. Just... not too often," Detrick admitted as he checked over the damage to his tank. He peeped down over the side and he grumbled under his breath. The DU plating was somewhat damaged, the reactive armor having been bypassed by the ATGM. But at least it wasn't as bad as he had feared. At least until he looked further. He swore loudly and punched the tank. "Fuck it!"

" _Sustained a bit of damage, I see,_ " Whitney joked.

"Shut up!" the Ransian snapped. "We just got that armor equipped a few months back!"

Whitney snorted, but let it slide. They had other things to worry about.

The intersection remained dead quiet. Nothing moved, save for some debris as it quietly clattered down an old store's façade. And the slight rumble of the earth...

That sent alarm buzzers ringing in the minds of the three tank crews. That could only mean one thing: tanks. And a whole group of 'em was coming their way.

Or so they thought.

It turned out to be a horde of Type 96 APCs, and they too were painted in the black and white zigzag patterns of the Gamagan gang. Detrick gritted his teeth as he pressed a hand to his headset. "Dominic? You seeing this?" he asked.

" _Hell yeah, Gerry,_ " Dominic replied. " _This reminds me of the horde mode we got jumped by back in Kanto._ "

"Don't remind me!" his friend grumbled, remembering that day clearly: the two had been crewing an APC when they got jumped by a huge horde of Bug-types, leading to them using up all of their ammunition and forcing them to retreat back to the landing craft they used to get ashore, prompting the _Kusanagi_ to bomb the beaches. That led to a lot of deaths on Ransei's side, along with a serious controversy of such actions. The Supreme Warlord took it all in stride though, denouncing the bombing and apologizing for the deaths.

" _You two still ready for this?_ " Whitney asked, her voice filled with terror. " _Because I'm sure not!_ "

"We've been worse," Detrick assured her. "Now, just follow our lead and do what we do!"

Larry by now had grabbed a nearby shell and rammed it home into the gun's chamber. He looked back at Detrick. "Good to go sir!" he reported.

"Okay. Damien, you know what to do!" the commander barked.

Damien nodded and adjusted the angle of the turret, his eyes narrowed. "Here we go!" he muttered.

"Fire!" Detrick ordered.

The gun roared and the tank squealed on its suspension as the HEAT shell streaked down the barrel, the shaped charge rocketing towards the nearest APC, which took it head on and exploded, sending shrapnel every which way. That was the chance that the other APCs needed. The next APC darted out into the street, a launcher on top suddenly pivoting towards them and the commanders gaped at the sight.

"Dammit! They got fuckin' missiles on those things!" Theresa shouted.

"I know that!" Detrick growled. "Keep firing at 'em! We need to take them out before we get overwhelmed!"

" _Ditto on that!_ " Dominic remarked over the radio. Detrick winced as he heard the tank's gun roar and felt the vehicle's engine bash against his own, along with Whitney's swearing over the line.

" _Watch it, dumbass!_ " she shouted.

"Sorry about that," Detrick apologized.

" _No worries! But right now we gotta beat this horde!_ " the LaRoussian commander remarked.

The other two commanders nodded and they returned to the situation at hand. Detrick watched as the APC fired its missile at them. He narrowed his eyes as the shotgun-like blast of the TAPS kicked in, taking out the missile midflight. He grinned before he became serious again, only to suddenly flinch as the tank lurched backwards, its frontal plating taking a second missile full force. He grimaced as he felt something wet running down his face. He touched his hand to it and pulled it back; his fingers were sticky with blood. He wondered how he could've gashed his face, but he forced it aside.

They had to defeat these things.

He felt the larger LaRoussian tank slam against his, and he winced as it did so. The cage armor was no doubt gonna be a mess after this; but that didn't matter. As long as the engine worked, that was all that was needed.

Dominic's tank roared its gun's displeasure once more, this time striking an APC just as it fired off a missile. But like Detrick's tank, the TAPS system kicked in and destroyed the incoming projectile, but barely. Dominic was no doubt relieved as well and both men knew it. Whitney on the other hand was swearing creatively with Hoennese words as her tank let loose its own gun, striking three APCs as they tried to line up and fire a volley of missiles. The HEAT shell struck the center APC just as its missile was launched, so the blast detonated the missile, which struck the other two APCs and exploded them in fiery blasts of fuel and oil.

"We still got APCs incoming!" Detrick shouted as Larry loaded another HEAT round, this time a HEAT-MP round, and Damien pulled the trigger.

" _Duh! We know that!_ " Dominic yelled back.

" _Heads up! We got something more coming!_ " Whitney reported. " _AGH!_ "

"Whitney!" Detrick shouted. "Youi okay?!"

The other commander didn't answer at first, and he feared that her tank had been destroyed. But then her swearing came over the line and he laughed a bit in relief. He didn't know why. He just was.

" _Fuckin' missile triggered the energy shield..._ " she grumbled. " _That was way too close..._ "

" _We got trouble! More gangsters with ATGMs! They're going for the Hariyama!_ " Dominic suddenly reported.

"Shit! Get us turned and fire at them!" Detrick shouted.

"No time!" Theresa cried. "They're firing now!"

The shriek of missiles came from all around them and the two Ransian tank crews gaped at the incoming sight of destruction. There was no time for them to move, let alone get out of the way. And the horde of APCs was trapping them in the intersection, so they were literally sitting Wingull. There was nothing they could do.

But just when it seemed like the larger tank would be destroyed, the two Ransian tanks were suddenly pushed back as the EAPS kicked into action, sending the energy barrier out to the sides and rear, taking the blows with no trouble just as a final missile was fired, only to be stopped short by its own Trophy APS. The laser struck the missile and triggered the warheads detonation, exploding it in midflight. Detrick was awed by the sudden activation of the system, and to be honest, he kind of wished Ransei had such tech, but it was for the best, he mused. After all, not everything was meant for comfort.

Sadly though the barrier couldn't sustain itself after that attack and it shut down, leaving the LaRoussian tank defenseless save for its laser turret. Detrick forced his thoughts back to the battle at hand and he turned to face his crew. "You guys got a lock on the buildings those missiles came from?" he asked.

"Sure do, sir!" Damien said. "Just be careful out there, sir."

Detrick nodded and popped the hatch. He poked his head out and was surprised to see the devastation caused so far.

Ruined APCs lay in the middle of the streets and he could see charred and burned corpses of gangsters as they lay there, some even still alive, but barely. He could see the damage done to his tank's cage armor, along with Dominic's, and the two tanks had slight dents to their armor plating on the rear. He could still see the pulsing blue circuit lines and a sigh escaped him. He closed his eyes and opened them, gripping the machine gun and pivoting it to aim right at the buildings above him.

His heart rate was now soaring as he heard another APC fire a missile - no doubt a Type 79 Jyu-MAT missile - and he felt adrenaline flush through his blood stream, making his body tingle as he shuddered a bit. His crystal began to pulse and hum with energy, picking up on his battle lust and his war drive. He could care less. He wanted to get back at those that dared to attack his fellow humans. The man armed the gun and pulled the trigger, stitching a path right along the building's façade and up into the main room, killing the men who had fired the missile. He turned the gun, still firing, and blew out the windows of another building, killing the men and women manning another missile launcher. The launcher fell to the destroyed street below. He spotted Dominic to his left doing the same thing, and both men arced their fire right for the nearest building, taking out the last team with the ATGMs.

Whitney's crew on the other hand, kept firing their gun, taking out more and more APCs as they kept coming.

Detrick finally had enough and ducked back into the tank as Dominic did the same thing. He closed the hatch and buckled his restraints once more. "Okay, guys. Theresa, turn us -"

That was as far as he got before he suddenly perked up, his eyes widening. He couldn't sense it for very long, but it was there: fury, and vengeance. His crystal pulsed brilliantly for a mere second, and when it faded, his body was shaking. "Shit..." he muttered.

"Sir?" Theresa asked. "What's wrong?"

"Back us up, now!" he barked.

The sound of his voice, the fear and shock, was enough to get her to do just that as a shell struck where they had been mere seconds ago. Detrick popped the hatch, and stuck his head out enough to see what appeared to be a pair of tanks coming around the bend. His eyes widened as he recognized them, having seen them once before seven years back. These two were the Type 74 tank, and they were also painted in the same colors as the APCs.

Dominic's swearing caught his attention and he looked to the left, his heart leaping into his throat at the sight of another Type 74, followed closely by the Type 90 Kyu-maru tank, also painted in gangster colors. A fifth one poked its nose out, the gun primed and ready to fire.

"Dammit..."

The eight tanks all faced one another, the trio of advanced tanks back to back to back, the five older tanks positioned to take them down.

The first tank came around the bend of one of the buildings and opened fire, the first tank being the Type 74 closest to them. Detrick growled as the shell whizzed overhead, barely missing them. The tank gunner obviously wasn't very skilled. The Ransian tank suddenly shuddered as a HEP round slammed against the side armor, but it didn't penetrate the reactive armor plating. Or maybe not.

He gritted his teeth as Damien pivoted the turret to face the tank, only for it to vanish behind the building. "Dammit!" he muttered.

"Larry, shove a HEAT round in there!" Detrick ordered.

The loader nodded and slammed a round into the breech, slamming it closed. Damien targeted the spot where the Type 74 had vanished, and pulled the trigger just as he heard Dominic shout out in Ransian as his tank took a hit from one of the Type 90s. "Shit!" Detrick muttered.

" _You think it's easy?_ " Whitney shot back. " _Urban warfare is not my strong suit!_ "

"Good thing we're here then!" the Ransian tank commander said as he popped the hatch and poked his head out to get an idea of where they were. But a shell rocketed overhead towards the LaRoussian tank and he ducked back down. "Not a good idea..." he muttered to himself.

The Type 90 closest to them fired an APFSDS round, striking the end of Dominic's tank and penetrating the DU armor near the rear of the vehicle. Thankfully it wasn't as bad, as some of the shrapnel had been deflected by the metal bars of the cage armor. Still the tank would have to be repaired back at base camp. Dominic's swearing was worse than he remembered, but since they were in a war zone, it made sense. Detrick himself wasn't as bad as his friend though in that department. He forced it from his mind as he barked out an order to Damien. "Target the tank and let loose!" he barked.

Damien nodded and the trigger was pulled, sending the Ransian war machine rocking back on its suspension before Larry slammed home an APFSDS round into the breech. "All right! Now!" he shouted to Damien.

The gunner responded and pivoted the turret to face the Type 90 harassing the LaRoussian tank and fired, sending it right for the sides of the vehicle. The tank shuddered as the metal fragments of the round impacted its armor, resembling a sort of "mushroom cloud" of metal shards and hot shrapnel. The force of impact, coupled with the hot metal fragments, was enough to take out one of the treads on the Gamagan war machine, and a tandem charge HEAT round followed, blowing the metal plating apart and killing the crew within the turret. With one down, that left only four to go.

The Hariyama's commander, however, had a plan in store. As the Type 74 tanks closest to it began to advance, the gunner pivoted the turret of the vehicle and then the gun roared, sending an HE round right for the closest one, hitting it dead center on the turret, only for its gun to fire before exploding. The second tank fired as well, but the TAPS system let loose with its shotgun-like blast, destroying the shells and rendering the tank protected. But then the single Type 74 fired a HEAT round, striking the LaRoussian tank in the side, rocking it on its suspension. Thankfully it wasn't too damaged. She grinned. "Once the Hariyama's future railgun cannon is developed and mass produced, we'll put and end to Ho-Oh and Uxie in no time!" she remarked.

Whitney then ordered her own gunner to fire a shell right for the front of the Type 74, rendering it a useless husk once the HEAT shell did its work in a fiery ball of flame and heat. He grinned at the sight before he was brought back to the matter at hand as the closest tank - the Type 90 - fired its own HE round for his tank. He grimaced as the entire vehicle shuddered from the impact and he turned to Larry, only to see the other man slamming a round - he saw it was an HEDP round - and smirked. "Nice choice..." he muttered, knowing it would be useful in this case.

Damien fired moments later, the HEDP round exploding against their adversary's side armor. While not as effective, it did have the effect of getting them to back off, giving them some breathing room and allowing Larry to fish another APFSDS round out of the pile and slam it home. The breech closed and Damien turned the tank's turret and fired. The round did the job of shredding the armor, and Larry responded by slamming home an HE round. Detrick watched over his visual systems as the Type 90 took a hit and exploded, sending its turret flying end over end and landing barrel first in the ground. The last tank, the Type 74, was spotted by Whitney's crew and within moments had a lock on it as it peeled back and tried to fire an HEP round for them. The round sailed overhead and collided with one of the buildings above Detrick's tank, sending rubble cascading down on top of them. The rubble missed, but some did collide on top of the vehicle. He shuddered, but was grateful for the armor Ransian tanks possessed.

Whitney's gunner finished it off with an HEAT round, leaving it in the dust as a burned out hulk.

The battle rush finally began to die down from them and they sighed in relief. But it wasn't over yet.

The group looked around as their commanders popped the hatches and poked their heads out.

"You guys okay?" he called.

"Yeah! Took a hell of a beating, but we're safe!" Dominic yelled.

"Same here! Gotta be glad for the shielding on this thing!" Whitney called back.

"Good! We may as well begin to-" His voice cut off as he suddenly heard something akin to an engine, and not a Ransian one.

"Oh... shit..." he muttered as the wind began to pick up, dust and debris whistling around them as the sound of rotors beating at the air caught their attention. Detrick knew that sound, having heard it once before. "That's an Arbok helicopter!" he exclaimed.

The blades of the rotors cut through the air as the Arbok helicopter hovered into view, painted in the signature colors of the Gamagans, and on the front were blood red markings like a skull's eyes. The gangster at the controls sneered as he activated a pair of external speakers attached to the sides of the nose of the aircraft. " _All right, assholes! This is as far as you go! No further! You have intruded too deeply into Gamagan territory, and therefore must be executed!_ "

"Hold on one fuckin' minute!" Dominic roared as he clenched a fist. "What makes you decide our fates, huh, you bastard!?"

" _The leader has determined your fate! We are merely his arm and executioners!_ " the pilot barked as his face contorted to a snarl. He cut the speakers and spoke over a private comm line to the gunner, Detrick noticed. His eyes narrowed as he saw the gun on the chin of the copter swivel and let loose with a barrage of bullets. The three tanks reversed course and sped down the streets as the helicopter gave chase.

"Dammit!" Detrick shouted. "We're being chased by a helicopter, and it's armed with TOW missiles and Hellfire rockets!"

" _Duh! That thing's a tank destroyer!_ " Dominic exclaimed. " _We gotta find a way to take it down!_ "

The gangsters were intent on taking down the two Ransian tanks as they darted and weaved their way past destroyed buildings and overturned cars. The helicopter darted ahead of them and came to a halt in front, arming its gun and TOW missiles. But Detrick was one step ahead. He barked an order and Theresa gunned the engine, pivoting the tank by spinning a track in reverse and darting down another side street, the sides of the buildings barely scraping the paint on the sides of the war machine. Dominic was not that far behind them.

" _Hey! Where'd those LaRoussians get to?_ " Dominic asked.

"No clue, but we'd better hope they have some kind of a plan up their sleeve!" Detrick muttered.

* * *

 **Ruins of Fall City**

Oh, they did, all right. They did have a plan. And it was a good one.

Whitney smirked as the Hariyama crept down the main street, keeping tabs on the helicopter as it wove and chased the two Ransian tanks through the maze of buildings. Derrick was tense, but he was also shaking like a leaf while Harry was just chilling like usual, but he had already loaded the required projectile into the breech of the gun. Tina was gritting her teeth as she struggled to keep the tank in pursuit. It wasn't much help though as the Arbok helicopter was far too fast. But that mattered little when it came to the targeting computers built into the Hariyama.

She kept her eyes focused on the screen showing the fight, smirking a bit more as the Ransians doubled back and began heading their way, the chopper hot on their tails. The woman held out a hand and Derrick gulped as he armed the gun, lowering it and turning the turret to the right a bit. The helicopter sped down closer, the TOW missiles firing from their hardpoints at the two tanks. But then, as if choreographed, the two tanks peeled off in opposite directions and the Hariyama pulled up down the center of the street, its gun aimed right at the helicopter.

The pilot's eyes went wide as the gun roared, sending the ATGM down the barrel and right for him.

"Oh, fuck!"

The helicopter exploded in a fiery ball, crashing down onto the pavement and blowing up, shattering a few windows and destroying a few buildings as it did so. The fires burned as the three tanks reunited, their crews finally climbing out and staring at the wreckage with grim looks in their eyes. Detrick knelt and picked up one of the war trophies from the helicopter before he walked over to a tree and carved out a small space for the skull that once hung from the bottom of the copter's gun. He replaced the dirt and said a small prayer before removing his crystal and carving a small cross with the tip on the tree.

He sighed. "Well... we did it..." he murmured.

"Yeah..." Whitney's eyes were hard as she turned to face him. "But was it worth it? I mean... given what we saw..." The memories of the villagers crucified came back to her and she shuddered, feeling her stomach lurch.

"It was," Detrick said seriously. "No one should have to go through that. Let alone innocent children or Pokémon who were just trying to stay alive..."

Dominic snorted as he kicked a pebble in the direction of the burning chopper. "Damn bastards have no idea who they fucked with..." he grumbled. "And to be honest, I have no sympathy for them. Children... Man! That is beyond sick!"

"Dominic, I know it's sickening, but remember that we're not here to kill anyone unless it's for our defense," Detrick reminded him. "And we have to remember what it is we're fighting for here. We're fighting for-"

"Yeah, I know. Our very survival and all that shit. But seriously, Detrick! We need to do something about this! And anyone who does that doesn't deserve to live in my book, all because they've revolted back to the ways of savagery!" Dominic snapped as he turned to face his old friend. "Why do you think I'm so gung-ho about killing those kinds of people?! Because they're proving that big bird right!"

Detrick wasn't all that surprised, but he was surprised that Dominic was putting his trigger-happy attitude towards the right cause. A smile crossed his face. "Yeah. You're right. It is our mission to try and prove that we can still exist side by side with Pokémon, and those who don't... will be shown the error of their ways."

"All right! That's well good and all, but don't you think we oughta bug outta here before the rest of the gang finds out what happened to their toys?" Whitney piped up.

Both men looked back at her and then at one another, nodding as they realized what this meant. Reinforcements were sure to come, and unless they moved out, they were sure to be overwhelmed, and considering the damage they took, it wouldn't be long. The crews turned and climbed back into their respective vehicles and the engines started up, all three making their way out of the ruins into the outskirts of the city. As they prepared to part ways, Whitney got on the line with Detrick and he put the headset back on his head.

" _Hey, Detrick! Just wanted to say you guys really kicked some ass out there!_ " she said.

"Yeah? Well, not as much as you. And I have to say, without you, we may as well have been Beartic chow!" he joked. A real smile was on his face as he spoke. "You guys were a big help. So, thanks! And good luck!"

Whitney laughed over the comm. " _All right. Well, take care! And if you need help, just contact the base commander on this frequency! He'll send us as soon as he can or if he's able to spare us!_ "

"Got it. And thanks again!" Detrick shot back playfully. He finally closed the line and both teams went their separate ways, unsure of what the future held, but happy that they had allies just the same.

* * *

 **Hello, my peeps~! Sorry. But school came up, and well, so did real life. But here I am with a brand new chapter of Poké Wars, detailing the Ransian weapons used. :) And I'd like to thank Janus366 for helping me craft this amazing tank, and for lending use of his nation's Hariyama MBT. :) The Republic of LaRousse is his brainchild and will be a prominent faction in his own Poké Wars series, chronicling the saga of some survivors as they struggle to reclaim their land from the wild Pokémon of Uxie and Ho-oh. I highly recommend them, even if they are in Spanish! :) So, be sure to check them out, as well as my fic, Poké Wars - The Ransei Chronicles: What I've Done for how the whole thing started and how it will end. :) So, be sure to read and review! :D**

 **I'll be back with another chapter as soon as I am able! :) Until then, ja ne, my peeps~! :)**


	10. RAH-667A Noivern

**File # 009**

 **RAH-667A Noivern stealth attack helicopter**

 **Type:** prototype stealth attack helicopter

 **Weight:** 4218 kg (empty); 5601 kg (loaded)

 **Dimensions:** 14.28 m (length), 3.37 m (height); classified (width)

 **Powerplant:** 2x HoR-powered 1536 HP turbo shaft engines

 **Performance:** 324 km/h (max speed); 306 km/h (cruising speed); 4556 m (service ceiling); 4.55 m/s (rate of climb)

 **Range:** 585 km with internal fuel

 **Armor:** faceted plating equipped with Radar Absorbent Materials (RAM) and infrared suppression paint

 **Armaments:**  
1x 20 mm three-barrel Gatling gun  
2 internal bay pylons either 6x Hail (3x for each pylon) air-to-surface missiles, 12x Poison Stinger (6x for each pylon) air-to-air missiles or 24x Aqua Tail (12x for each pylon) air-to-ground unguided rockets  
Optional 4x Hail per wing (8x in total), 8x Poison Stinger (16x in total) or 28x Aqua Tail (56x in total)

 **Crew:** 2

 **Rotors:** Five bladed rotor assembly with no tail rotor

* * *

 **NOTES**

If there's one thing that can allow for sneak attacks, it's stealth.

Before the Undampening, stealth technology was limited only to fixed wing aircraft.

But now, it can be applied to helicopters.

The culmination of research for this is the RAH-667A "Noivern" stealth attack helicopter, officially the world's first helicopter built for stealth missions.

Conventional helicopters are not suited for stealth missions, as their rotor assemblies for both the main and tail rotors give off large and significant heat signatures. Their frames are also not designed to be radar absorbent. Most helicopters' rotors also generate enough sound to let intruders know they're coming. The Noivern was developed as a way to get around that. The airframe used for the helicopter came from the cancelled Seviper attack helicopter, which was canceled due to the use of Muk and Grimer fumes in biological warfare weapons, a prohibited weapon by all sides. The airframe though, with its light and agile design, spawned a new concept that was tested thanks to the combined efforts of LaRoussian engineers and technicians, working alongside Avia Defense Aeronautics, Aurora Defense Industries, Yaksha Engineering, Inc. and Spectra Defenses Co.

The one disadvantage the Noivern has is the HoR powered engines are used to power all of the helicopter's systems, leading its endurance to be limited to only two and a half to three hours at most. The engines also have to burn fossil fuels, which gives off a slight heat signature. Thankfully the energy from the Heart of Ransei offsets this by forcing the fuel to burn more efficiently, thus cutting the heat signature to almost nothing. The real power of the engine systems is in its ability to render the helicopter unnoticed on thermal imaging cameras, making it nearly impossible to detect. It can still be picked up, but its heavily reduced heat signature will make it the equivalent of a bird on the sensors and camera.

The armor itself is not really armor, but is composed of faceted plating to reduce the radar cross section (RCS) and other areas of visibility. To help with this radar absorbent materials were applied, along with infrared suppressing paint, to make it virtually undetectable. The rotor assembly, while standard, is augmented by its unique NOTAR assembly to maintain its stealth capabilities. Even with just one standard rotor, no contra-rotating rotors are needed with NOTAR. This is because NOTAR works by using a fan inside the tail boom to build a high volume of low-pressure air, which exits through two slots and creates a boundary layer flow of air along the tail boom. The boundary layer changes the direction of airflow around the tail boom, creating thrust opposite the motion imparted to the fuselage by the torque effect of the main rotor. Directional yaw control is gained through a vented, rotating drum at the end of the tail boom, called the direct jet thruster. Thus, this effectively replaces a tail rotor.

What really makes the Noivern stand out is its excellent rate of climb, being able to climb faster than most helicopters at the time. This allows it to outfly other helicopters of the same base model and make, while able to pull off counters that helicopters normally would not be able to do because of the frame's design. It allows the helicopter to perform maneuvers such as the barrel roll, loops, and even flying upside down. Such maneuvers have proven to save the helicopter from being damaged or even destroyed, when coupled with the chaff and flares equipped to it.

But just because it's stealthy doesn't mean it's not armed.

While specifically built for stealth and recon ops, the Noivern is outfitted with an arsenal that can be swapped out and added to according to mission parameters.

The basic armament consists of the 20 mm three-barrel Gatling gun under the nose. This gun can carry up to 500 rounds and is slaved to the pilot's helmet using a wireless interface, allowing the gun to swivel and target anything the pilot is looking at. Firing is done by pressing a button on the joystick for the helicopter's controls. The gun has the capacity to fire DU rounds, or AP rounds depending on which is available and what the mission entails. Conventional rounds are also able to be loaded, but have to have a tracer for every ten rounds fired, so as to know where they are being fired and to let friendly forces know what is firing them.

For heavier firepower, the Noivern is equipped with internal weapons bays to carry at max 6 Hail rockets with three per pylon, 12 Poison Stinger missiles with six per pylon, or twenty-four Aqua Tail rockets with twelve per pylon, depending on the mission parameters. The internal bays are meant to limit the external mounting of weapons so the helicopter's stealth capabilities can be used to the fullest. While not an advisable option for stealth attacks, the helicopter can also mount on its "wings" eight extra Hail rockets (four per wing), sixteen Poison Stinger missiles (eight per wing) or fifty-six Aqua Tail rockets (twenty-eight per wing).

To further reduce the signature of the helicopter, the signature glowing blue circuit lines indicative of the Heart's energy have been covered with a dimming paint, making it harder to pick up visually.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"The Noivern is just like it's namesake: hard to pick up, stealthy, and loud when it attacks." - Lieutenant Amanda Foster, Third Yaksha Air Wing

"Slick helicopter. Gotta love the ideas those LaRoussians have!" - Corporal Heinrich Daniels, Yaksha Stealth Rangers, 2nd Division

"Killing machine in disguise." - Commander Yuichi Ichiko, Company B, 6th Battalion, 4th Ninja Rangers

"Gotta love it! Only downside is the range. But hey! Gotta live with it." Gen. Justin Hallas, Company D, 4th Battalion, 17th Division, 14th Specter Infantry Brigade

"The range sucks dick! But it's worth it for the stealth. Just wish those guys came up with something better..." Brigadier General Luis Halter, Company A, 5th Battalion, 3rd Avia Airborne Division

* * *

 **Unknown location, 20 March**

"It has been years.

"Years since the world of the Ancients came to a sudden end. Our islands have been isolated, cut off from the outside world..."

The man sitting in front of the fire gazed deeply into its fiery depths, as if seeing the past before him. He closed his eyes and leaned back as he inhaled and let it out. The children sitting around the fire gazed at him with rapt fascination, unable to believe that this story he told was in fact true. They ranged in age from four to seven, each of them born a long time after the Old Days came to an end.

Their storyteller/babysitter looked at all of them. "But... there have been stirrings... rumors, if you will, of others... Others like us, and some of them have evolved..." he said.

One of the children raised a hand. "Um, Mr. Bradley, is it true that the Old Days were a time of prosperity?" she asked.

The man, Mr. Bradley, looked at her and smiled. "Yes, child. They were indeed a time of prosperity and safety in which one did not have to suffer at the hands of the Wild Monsters. And it was a time in which they were tamed, actually. Much different than the era we live in now." He adjusted his seat in front of the fire and beckoned the children around him. They gathered around him with smiles on their faces. He smiled back as he placed his arms around them. "And it was a place where there was no shortage of wealth. There, anything was possible. Not like this era..." He bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"Not like this era..."

He finally opened his eyes and smiled. "Okay, children. The storytime has come to an end for now. Go to your parents."

They groaned as they backed away from him.

"But do not worry. For tomorrow, we shall explore more about the Old Days," he assured them. They each looked at one another, then back at him as they cheered and hugged him before running off to their parents.

As they ran off, he stood up and adjusted his pack before dousing the fire with water and making his way back to his shanty. He threw open the tarp over the entrance and walked over to the small battered wooden table. He plopped his pack down on it and sat down, pulling out an old book he always wrote in. He flipped through it before coming back to the page he left off on, and picked up the charcoal pen he stored in between the pages.

He started to write, trying to come up with new tales about the Old Days, as he remembered them being told. And as he wrote, his life continued on around him.

* * *

 **Oblivia, 20 March, 7 YDR**

Sophian Island was a complete wasteland.

The lieutenant's eyes narrowed as she studied the large island's war-torn landscape, noting the buildings of the once-famous Aqua Resort were now just husks of their former selves. Her parents had told her stories of the beauty of the place, but now... now all that remained was ruin and destruction. She wondered briefly if it would ever return to its former splendor and grace. But she knew that deep down it was impossible, especially now under the reign of the dictatorship that governed this wasteland.

Like all the other islands in the chain, this was now close to a desert wasteland.

Only two islands still retained sufficient vegetation and soil to supply the chain with food and nutrition.

Lieutenant Amanda Foster of the Third Yaksha Air Wing pursed her lips as she adjusted the angle of the aircraft she was flying. The rotors of the RAH-667A Noivern stealth attack helicopter beat at the air and she peeled the craft to the right, her co-pilot Corporal Hans Lutein pivoted his head to look down at the entire scene below them. The black colored aircraft would've been a total standout if not for the fact that it was nighttime and a dim light from the half-concealed moon added to their advantage of stealth. He pursed his lips.

" _Hard to believe that this place has been a wasteland for seven years now,_ " he muttered.

"Not really," Foster replied over the headset. "Considering what Fiore and Almia became, I'm not that surprised."

" _But you were expecting something similar, right, ma'am?_ " Lutein asked.

"Yeah. Not like this at all," the pilot said as she peered out at the ruins below.

" _Wonder what will happen if this occurs in other regions,_ " her co-pilot replied, his eyes dead serious behind his helmet's tinted visor. He peered out the cockpit window and gritted his teeth. " _I mean... Fiore and Almia are ruled by gangs, and Oblivia is just a complete and utter wasteland like in the_ Max Fury _movies.._."

Foster nodded, knowing what he was talking about. In a way, now that she thought about it, the _Max Fury_ movies seemed to foreshadow this kind of outcome, in the culture and brutality that reigned supreme in some regions of the world. As a youth, she had watched the movies with her two older brothers, but her mother and father hadn't been so willing to let their only daughter watch something so brutal and gruesome. But it had hardened her, and conditioned her to not react to such violence unless it was performed on innocents like children and baby Pokémon. And when coupled with the experience in the field over the last seven years, it wasn't much of a surprise that brutal acts of violence didn't faze her as much. But even so, it still made her soul burn with fury at seeing such mindless slaughter and genocide.

Her mind was working furiously as the Noivern flashed over the desert. She could easily pick out the small pinpricks of light that indicated campfires around the island, and some settlements constructed of remnants from the Old Days, as the rest of the world was calling the pre-Undampening time. She scoffed a bit at the absurdity of such a thing. It wasn't even a full decade and already people were calling it that. The whole concept made little sense, really. Referring to an age only seven years ago as if it had been over for centuries was strange. But then again, in some absurd way, it did make sense. Not that she could see how, though.

" _Hey, ma'am? You okay?_ " Lutein asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just trying to figure something out," Foster replied.

" _You mean the Old Days thing?_ " he asked, knowing what was on her mind. They often talked about this, to be honest, when it was just the two of them during dull missions.

"Yeah. It's weird to me..." she muttered, her eyes flitting back to her controls and examining them. The altimeter was blinking red, an indicator they were going below the designated altitude for stealth. She adjusted the controls and raised the helo slightly until it was above the height indicated.

" _Right. But right now we have a mission to focus on,_ " Lutein reminded her. " _We can ponder that later_."

She nodded and forced her mind back to focus on the matter at hand.

The Noivern began its descent, relying on its stealthy profile to slip as close as it could to the surface without the rotors generating a rotor wash that was sure to get the attention of the settlements. The black, faceted profile proved to be an asset as it flashed over the ground, passing by and over settlements as the pilots shot video and still footage using infrared cameras built into their PokéGauntlets. They each took turns at it; Lutein was the first one. His eyes narrowed beneath his visor as he studied the screen and video feed. " _I just can't believe it still..._ " he murmured.

"What? Seeing what these islands have become in the last seven years?" Foster asked.

" _Yes,_ " Lutein replied. " _It's... it's just sickening_."

"Tell me about it," the pilot growled as her eyes hardened. "The survivors were right to keep it vague. At least from what I've seen..." Her stomach churned as she recalled the graphic descriptions of rape and plunder, with beheadings carried out in gruesome glory. She shuddered a bit and swallowed back the bile in her throat. She could get sick later.

The black stealth copter came to a stop just above a camp as Lutein took over the controls and Foster angled her PokéGauntlet so she could see via the infrared camera the sight below. She made out the burning heat of the fire in the center and the shapes of humans gathered around it. She frowned, wondering what else they could be doing down there. Foster took the chance to zoom in, but the distance was just too great. Growling to herself, she tapped the back of Lutein's seat, and he nodded. The Noivern began to descend a bit further, and as it did so, the rotor wash created by the rotor blades sent some sand whipping around, and caught the attention of one of the locals below...

Lieutenant Foster kept her eyes narrowed as Lutein adjusted the helicopter's position and allowed her to get a better view of the camp's layout.

On her PokéGauntlet's screen she could make out several large tents, some smaller shanties constructed from wood and metal, and a few parking lots with what appeared to be a large tanker truck with a hose attached to the container on the back; she guessed it had to be fuel stored in that tank. The tents were no doubt for meetings, a hospital or even a school. The parking lots were filled with ATVs, Jeeps, and even a few Hummers. She pursed her lips and frowned. ' _Looks like they're taking the lifestyle from the_ Max Fury _movies the more I look at it... or maybe there's another reason for this... But what is it?_ ' she thought to herself.

Suddenly, the alarm on her console blared in her headset and she grasped the controls on instinct, wrenching the helicopter away from the site as a single Spearow missile flew past their location. "Dammit!" she muttered. "How'd they know we were here?!"

" _I have no idea!_ " Lutein remarked. " _But however they did, we're in serious shit here_!"

The lieutenant swore loudly in Ransian as she pulled the helicopter into a steep climb as a second missile followed the first, nearly missing the helicopter's tail. The missile exploded beyond the helicopter, as Foster had thought to release the flares as she pulled that maneuver. After she leveled off, she pivoted the helicopter around so that way the front was aiming at the camp, or rather, the group of people mounting what appeared to be a large vehicle with surface-to-air missiles. She growled as she eyed it, and below the chopper's nose, the 20mm Gatling gun spun up, and she pulled the trigger, sending DU rounds right for it. Unfortunately the tracer gave away that someone was firing on them.

Lutein, a native from Orre, swore in Orran as she pulled to the left, the motion causing him to bang his helmeted head on the cockpit glass. " _Watch it!_ " he shouted.

"Sorry! Next time keep your head still!" Foster shot back as she juked the Noivern left and right to avoid being nailed by guns. She was forced to finally turn and flee as the truck with the missiles gave chase.

"Shit! How did this happen?!" Foster growled as she looked back at the truck, her eyes hard.

Lutein gripped his crystal and held it up, the blue light shining amidst the darkness, trying to spot the vehicle's dust trail. He picked it out, all right, but the blue glow of his crystal caught the attention of the driver. He swore as he shoved his crystal back beneath his airman's uniform.

"You know you're not supposed to do that during stealth missions!" Foster yelled at him. "We're gonna be scrapped at this rate!"

Her co-pilot glared at her. " _Well, how else was I supposed to spot that trail of dust?!_ " he snapped.

Foster swore as she peeled the helicopter to the left, darting back towards the sea and vanishing amidst the clouds as they began to thicken. The cloud cover proved to be a godsend for them as the craft swooped around under her guiding hands. She had an intense gaze on her face as she brought the Noivern up a bit more to avoid being spotted. She looked down at the island beneath her as she peeled to the right, flying back, but using the helicopter's stealth capabilities to her advantage this time.

The missile truck below was circling, trying to find the Noivern as it came in slow and at a height to avoid detection. She narrowed her eyes as she adjusted the controls, studying the layout of the land. She could pick out the remains of the resort as the Noivern came back around to the island, making sure to approach from the rear so as to avoid detection. The black chopper darted past the missile truck, and Lutein looked at her. "What's the plan?" he hissed over the headset.

The pilot pursed her lips as she shifted in her seat, trying to ponder the situation and how to best take out that missile truck. Her eyes hardened as she realized that there was only one way, and it would cost them their stealth advantage. "Dammit..." she muttered.

Lutein heard her tone of voice and his eyes widened as he looked at her. " _You're insane!_ " he hissed. " _That could jeopardize the whole mission_!"

She gritted her teeth as she recalled the mission briefing from two days ago.

* * *

 ** _Fontaine, Ransei_**

 ** _18 March, 7 YDR_**

 _"Sir? You want me to what?" Foster blurted, her eyes wide. "I mean, sure I can understand gathering intelligence, but to actively take part in trying to take down that despotic man? That's asking for trouble! And Oblivia has no real functioning government! It's like the Max Fury movies there! A real life version!"_

 _Her superior narrowed his eyes. "You do realize that if we don't do something, then they'll continue to suffer. We cannot allow that to go on. Those people need to be reminded of what hope is. And besides, if the islands are in as worse a shape as you think, this only justifies the decision the Supreme Warlord has made. Also, it has good reason. Especially since there's no real hope of getting intelligence otherwise. We can kill two Pidgey with one stone this way." He looked at her over his tented hands. "Plus, it will be a good way to test out our new prototype."_

 _"It's already finished?!" Foster blurted. "I thought it wouldn't be ready for testing for another two years!"_

 _"They used the old Seviper attack helicopter's airframe. That's how the R &D boys and girls were able to get it up and running sooner than the initial projections," her superior said as he unfolded his hands and laid them on his desk. "So, your mission is threefold: Test the prototype, gather intelligence, and see if you can start something in those islands somehow. I don't care how you do it. Just make sure you don't get shot down."_

 _"How will we get there? The range is not that good, and..." Foster's protest was cut off as he raised his hand._

 _"The range is sufficient, but unfortunately, for safety reasons, you will not fly it there yourself. You will take the Mithrl and take off from the decks once the carrier is in range," he told her._

 _Foster felt a lump forming in her throat and she swallowed it, nodding. "Understood, sir," she replied._

 _"I can understand your reservations though," he told her gently. "The whole island chain is a mess, and the government has no real chance of doing anything unless Oblivia's dictator is taken out."_

 _She felt a small shred of relief, but it wasn't enough to make her feel any better. In fact, it seemed to make things worse for her. She gulped and nodded._

 _"Now get going. You leave in a day's time."_

* * *

 **Oblivia, Sophian Island**

 **20 March, 7 YDR**

"I hate it when this is brought up!" Foster grumbled as she pressed a hand to her headset. "Lutein, I need you to arm the missiles. I don't care about the intelligence right now, and we have to test the prototype anyway. So may as well do something to show that we mean business before we pull out back to the _Mithrl_."

Lutein growled, but relented as he prepared to arm the missiles in the weapons bays.

The doors slid open, exposing the Hail missiles to the open air.

He narrowed his eyes and looked down at the missile truck, its crew scanning the area for any sign of them.

His finger tightened on the trigger, and he felt as if his whole world came to a slowdown. He could see the way the tires turned, the way the dust angled in the breeze, and the glint of the dim moonlight on the windshield below. His heart was pounding double time and his hands were slick with sweat beneath his uniform. He took in a breath and let it out, closing his eyes before reopening them. He targeted the land in front of the truck...

And pulled the trigger.

Two missiles streaked from the pylons right for the truck.

The crew had no idea what was coming. The missiles homed in on it as it turned to the left...

And they made contact.

The truck went up in a fiery explosion that caught several of the other locals' attention. Within minutes Jeeps, motorcycles, and ATVs were streaming from a few of the camps to check out what happened. The charred remnants of the vehicle burned fiercely, a result of the remaining missiles having exploded once the Hellfire missiles made contact.

Lutein grinned as Foster pulled the Noivern into a turn to evade detection. " _Nice shot!_ " she remarked.

"C'mon! Let's get outta here before we get caught," he said.

She nodded. " _Right. We'll call this a success, even if it was partial._ " The black helicopter sped away, vanishing into the night like the Pokémon it was named for.

* * *

 **Sophian Island, Oblivia**

The fire of their truck burned fiercely.

The men were baffled. Questions filled their minds as they gathered around, being careful to avoid the heat of the flames. One of them knelt at spotting something fluttering on the ground.

He picked it up and held it in his hands.

It looked like part of a flag...


	11. RSA-776B Hydro Pump

**File # 010**

 **RSA-776B "Hydro Pump" Self Propelled Artillery**

 **Type:** Self-propelled artillery

 **Weight** : 56 tons (combat weight)

 **Dimensions:** 11.7 m (length); 3.6 m (width); 3.1 m (height)

 **Range:** Limitless

 **Powerplant:** 1 HoR-charged crystal core reactor

 **Speed:** 67 km/h on road, 55 km/h off-road

 **Crew:** Commander, gunner, driver, two loaders (5)

 **Armament:**

-1x 155 mm L52 Artillery Gun. It's loaded with an automatic loading system, which with the help of improved gun metallurgy and cooling systems, makes it able to shoot at an incredible fire rate of 15 rpm of sustained fire or 20 rpm in three-round bursts. It can shoot either standard HE-FRAG ammo at 30 km of distance, 40-50 km of distance with base bleed rounds and up to around 60 km with long-range rocket-assisted ammunition. The vehicle can carry up to 60 rounds of ammo and its able to reload to full capacity in less than 12 minutes or less than 10 with robotic help. Time which is also used to let the gun cool down. The crew loader's function is to operate the reloading in case of a loader malfunction and help with the replenishment of the ammo after firing all the ammo load.

-1x 7.62 mm coaxial M242 machine gun as secondary defenses

 **Armor:** Lightweight composite. Resistant to 20mm auto cannons, light Pokémon attacks, bomblets and shrapnel from enemy artillery. Crew, gun and ammo are separated to increase safety

* * *

 **NOTES**

Historically artillery has taken the form of siege engines and cannon, each devoted to one thing only: besieging an enemy fortress.

With the coming of modern times though, artillery has evolved to match it.

And the culmination of this technology has come in the form of the self-propelled artillery gun, the RSA-776B "Hydro Pump".

The Ransei Hydro Pump and the LaRoussian Camerupt SPA are both basically the same machine, except for the changing of the Mako reactor of LaRoussian origin to a HoR-charged crystal core reactor and its machinegun for a Ransian one. This increases its range from 4200 km to virtually limitless, especially when dealing with invasions of foreign countries. The gun itself has proven to be incredibly sound and durable, and with its variable ammunition, it's one weapon that Ransei has decided to keep the same terms of construction and framework from the Camperupt of LaRousse. But the range also offers another benefit: the Hydro Pump is able to tow a resupply of ammunition, although if under attack, it is highly recommended by any and all superior officers to abandon the ammo and take shelter in case it explodes.

The SPA is also equipped with full Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical protection in the unlikely event of a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack, such as with Gunk Shot or a virus crafted by Uxie. The only time this feature has been used was during an attack conducted in operational capacity alongside LaRousse in their biggest military operation to date, but due to the hazards of the mission and the overall brutality, it has been classified as beyond top secret, meaning only the Supreme Warlord, his advisors, and the Council of Lords can see it.

In addition to NBC protection, the Hydro Pump and Camerupt both have powerful fire control systems, datalinks and automatic gun control which lets the vehicle to quickly receive target information, create fire resolutions and firing while correcting changes in environment like wind, barrel heat, etc. It is also able to stop moving and start shooting in less than 30 seconds, which is a very short time compared with other artillery vehicles. The powerful FCS computer is capable of realizing a 6 shot MRSI (Multiple Rounds Simultaneous Impact) at 15 km at least, which is the capacity of firing six shots at different angles and trajectories, and have all of them arrive simultaneously to the target. This means that more shells can land on the target with no warning and devastate entire enemy troops at ambushes or surprise attacks. A 6 SPA battery could in theory land up to 36 artillery shots on the same target or area, creating massive damage and destruction in one area.

While it is effective, its lack of heavy armor means it can be wiped out by stronger Pokémon attacks or even heavier firepower. So the only real way these vehicles can be used is through hit and run attacks, or bombarding from a distance. Acid is also a problem as it can eat through the armor plating, and String Shot is another problem in that it can bind the wheels, rendering them unable to move or removing them entirely.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"These weapons are something else. Have to admit, the HoR has come in handy in terms of the range, and the NBC protection has really saved our asses." - Staff Sergeant Isla Hitomi, Company A, 12th Artillery Regiment, Cragspur 157th Division (Fort Rock)

"The only thing wrong is the lack of real heavy armor." - Major Gerald Walls, Company B, 67th Artillery Battalion, 10th Armored Division (Greenleaf Naval Base)

"Have to admit, LaRousse really came up with something good. All I gotta say is that whoever is coming our way is fucked up when they see these things!" - Colonel Sergei Pertovich, Company H, 48th Artillery Regiment, 45th Artillery Shock Guard (Pugilis Army Base)

"Gotta be careful when dealing with more powerful Pokémon in this thing. One wrong move, and it's kaboom!" - Tony Potter, 27th Mechanic Support Battalion (Aurora Naval Command)

"I have to say that without these, we wouldn't be able to do what we can do." - GUNDAM Lieutenant Marcus "Marc" Franklin, CVW 23, RNS Kusanagi

* * *

 **Undisclosed location**

 **30 December, 6 YDR**

The whole beach was a mess as the landing ships disgorged their cargo of tanks and artillery and crewmen. The defenses barked and roared, sending shells and bullets whizzing overhead as several Pokémon let loose with Hyper Beam or Solar Beam to try and destroy the incoming invasion fleet. But this was not just an invasion fleet: this was a fleet dedicated to the next big operation alongside their major allies, the Republic of LaRousse. The invasion fleet consisted of the fast-attack carrier, the RNS Kusanagi, the Hoenn-class battleships, a few Gyrados-class destroyers, the RNS Broadside, a Verdanturf-class battlecruiser, and several Izabe-class cruisers.

Ransei's best were preparing for this invasion, both human and GUNDAM alike.

The sleek airframes of several GUNDAMs blazed past, Marcus Franklin narrowing his eyes as he followed after, but in GUNDAM form rather than aircraft shape. He preferred it that way so he could act much more quickly. As he followed his flight, he spotted a bunch of Flying-Types coming at them. He gripped his gun and charged into the fray, the bullets coming out as the gun barked its fury at its master being attacked. He didn't let up on the trigger before he flipped around and tossed a flash-bang grenade right in their path. The Flying-Types, all Fearow and Pidgeot, screeched and/or cried out as the grenade exploded, blinding them temporarily and allowing him to charge in with his beam saber active in his hand. He cried out as he swung the saber, the glowing blue blade barely clipping the closest Pokémon and forcing it to flee. He spun and threw another grenade, this time a standard one, into the cluster. It exploded and sent the Pokémon plummeting to the beach below.

He turned and spotted another fellow GUNDAM, Michael Gilligan, aiming his beam rifle and pulling the trigger, hitting a Fearow in the chest and sending it falling to the sea where it was churned to a pulp by a passing destroyer. "You okay?" Marc called to him.

"Yeah! These guys have no idea, do they?" Michael asked as he twirled his beam rifle before holstering it and drawing his own beam saber. The two charged back into the fray, carving a path through the Pokémon around them before a few blurs of black darted past them, throwing them off course briefly. Marc shook his head from being disoriented to try and regain his sense of direction and balance. He looked up and his eyes shrank a bit as he recognized those blurs. 'Night Slashes!' he thought in surprise.

He hadn't expected them to be fielded for another five months at best.

A large roar suddenly caught his attention and he looked down just in time to see the self-propelled artillery rolling onto the beaches. One of them had its barrel smoking, and he looked up just as an explosion rocked the area; one of the bunkers manned by bandits went up in flames, several wild Pokémon were taken out by the blast and several homes were destroyed: they could be replaced after this was done.

 ** _There's a time in your life_  
在你的人生中有一段時光**

His gaze flitted down to the sight of the Ransian RSA-776B Hydro Pump SPA gun and the LaRoussian Camerupt SPA moving onto the beach, both of them moving side by side. The Ransian ensign gleamed in the light from several fires burning and the LaRoussian wind rose complemented it as they sent their shells arcing overhead towards larger and more formidable positions held by the Pokémon of this area, along with a few clusters of bandits and thugs. The combined forces of the two technologically advanced nations were proving to be a formidable threat to the underequipped and less technologically advanced bandits and thugs. Then again, they made up for that technological gap with their positions and defenses.

Marc growled to himself as he spotted one of the bunkers sending HE shell after HE shell their way. One of the Camerupt SPAs moved into position and with a loud bark, its gun sent an HE-FRAG round at the bunker, followed by a few shots from one of the Steelix and Hariyama main battle tanks. The bunker fell silent as the barrage killed those inside from the concussive force alone. Marc smiled grimly within his mind as he aimed his machine gun at a few flying Pokémon and killed them with a few bursts. Blood and tissue fell, followed by the lifeless corpses.

 ** _When the world is on your side_  
整個世界都繞著你轉**

He looked down at his fellow soldiers and noticed that a few LaRoussian infantry were letting loose with their PAR-101 "Manectric" pulse rifles and others with the powerful MGS-103 "Metagross" smart gun, killing any wild Pokémon they happened to come across. A few of the Zigzagoon were killed, and a bunch more swarmed over towards the infantry units. He turned and noticed a bunch of Hoothoot coming down from the trees, and he snarled as he shifted into plane form. He gunned his engines and came in hard and fast, wiping out the Pokémon with a few bursts from his machine guns.

Off to the side, he spotted a few bandits emerging from the brush, their eyes wide and wild as they cut down any Pokémon and invading troops, but the Ransei's GUNDAM Soldiers' durable frames, the Excalibur exosuit, and the LaRoussian Land Warrior Integrated System Aron Mk. I battle suit held up against the guns of the bandits.

"Shit... Looks like these guys just don't know when to quit!" Marc grumbled as he swooped overhead, lighting up the area for a bombing run by a Night Slash fighter jet. The sleek plane's pilot spotted the green flare and sped in, firing a missile that took out the bandits in one fell swoop. But the jet was targeted by an AA gun mounted on the cliffs near the town. The pilot spotted the gun and sped away at full speed, but the gun fired. If not for the pilot's timely barrel roll, then the plane would've been sleeping with the Remoraid.

 ** _You might not feel it_  
你或許沒感覺到**

His core pulsed in his chest as he let out a sigh of relief, feeling his core rate settling down. He shifted back to GUNDAM form and watched the battle playing out below.

Guns from the bunkers manned by the thugs and bandits in the area of the town barked and sent their shells right for the incoming invasion and liberation force. Craters blossomed as explosions tore open holes in the very earth itself. Trees were set on fire by tracer used by both sides, the debris went flying every which way from missiles, and the guns from the naval ships chewed both men and Pokémon to pieces. Blood ran in rivers down the pristine beaches and the waves were filled with bodies of both human and machine, and Pokémon chowed down on the organic remains. A few allied Pokémon joined in the fighting, using their attacks to provide cover as the enemy kept pounding out their devastating barrage.

His eyes hardened at the sight and he gripped his gun in his hand.

' _War..._ _This is what it's come down to..._ ' he thought.

 ** _You might not see it  
_ 你或許沒看到**

His eyes flicked over to where he saw a few Swellow coming down hard and fast, their wings glowing with the energy of Steel Wing. Marc tensed his body as they came in hard, their eyes filled with fury and rage at these strange intruders attacking their domain. He swung his body around and fired his gun, sending a few bursts their way. His mind was now racing as he saw that they were coming for him!

Thinking fast, he transformed into plane mode and engaged his engines leading them down the coast right for the invasion fleet. He spun around in a barrel roll and flipped into a clean knife edge, passing right between two ships as their AA guns took out the Swellow. The lifeless Pokémon fell into the water between the two ships, their hulls and props grinding them to bits.

 ** _But it surrounds you like a light_  
但它像光芒似地圍繞著你**

The ruins of the city were just beyond the remains of the port. He could see the large group clustered buildings and the remains of Devon Corporation headquarters beyond the huge cranes and warehouses of the port. Down below a loud sound caught his hearing and he shot his gaze down to see the large LaRoussian Makuhita IFVs coming off the landing craft, and one of them had its cargo hatch open. Marc fought to keep a sort of savage gleam from appearing in his eyes as he saw the Ninjask attack drones coming out, looking like their namesake Pokémon as their rotors whirred and they darted amidst the fighters, gunning down any hostile Pokémon they encountered with their 10x24 mm machine gun. He transformed into GUNDAM form and hovered there, watching as they darted around the fighting soldiers and GUNDAM Soldiers with ease. He wondered briefly if they were remote controlled by anyone considering the sheer number there were, but something told him no.

He tore his gaze from the horde and looked back to the city remains and his eyes hardened at the sight of several gangsters of the dreaded Seviper gang coming out from their hideaways and arming their weapons. The GUNDAM Soldier growled to himself as the gang members began to open fire on them. A few Ninjask drones flitted past him and he yelped on instinct when one brushed against his wing. He pulled away from the flight path of the drones and looked down to see more robots coming out from another Makuhita IFV along some LaRoussian soldiers.

These were much bulkier and had tracks on their sides, and he knew what they were, having heard of them during the briefing for this op. These were the Mawile Ground Drones, or GDs.

 ** _Makes you stronger for the fight  
_ 讓你有足夠的力量去搏鬥**

Marc tore his gaze away from the GDs and looked back at the ruined city, noting how the forces were spreading out over the area. He could see one of them proving to be a formidable fighter and he knew who it was, but he blocked it from his mind as he had other things to focus on.

His internal comm chirped and he pressed a hand to his helm as he flew down towards the exit to the docks and port. "Go!" he snapped.

" _How's it looking, Lt. Franklin?_ " the voice of his superior asked.

"Well, the op is proceeding as planned, and from the looks of things-" He was cut off briefly as he felt a blast from a Night Slash's missiles explode close by to his frame, taking down a building with a bunch of Seviper thugs hiding out in it with sniper rifles. "-we're gonna have the port within hours! Especially since the LaRoussians have deployed those drones of theirs!"

Supreme Warlord Krane sounded satisfied when he came on the line. " _Good. The more assets the better. And otherwise?_ "

"Pokémon on both sides are brutal," Marc noted as he spotted a few Swellow and Pidgeot engaging in a nasty dogfight, unleashing Air Cutters and Swift Attacks and Razor Winds.

 ** _Never letting go, gotta learn to grow_  
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長**

" _Well, that's to be expected,_ " the warlord replied. " _And the Sevipers_?"

"Still holding, but not for long!" Marc shot back with a sort of chuckle. "We're gonna run them outta the city when we can!"

" _Good. Make sure that the main buildings are preserved and left intact. This way we can be sure that there's some form of civil government set up here once they're driven out,_ " Warlord Krane said.

Marc nodded. "Will do, sir. We'll make sure that none of them are destroyed!"

The warlord was silent, but Marc somehow got the feeling he was nodding as he cut the line with a bit of static. Feeling relieved that the Supreme Warlord was relieved at how the op was proceeding, he turned back to the battle at hand, plunging down and cutting a way through a bunch of Swablu and Altaria with his beam saber. The glowing blue blade was a signal beacon to those who were trapped as slaves or hostages in the city ruins, a signal that help was on its way.

 ** _Watch me as I touch the sky_  
看著我到達了頂端**

The GUNDAM held his beam saber in front of his frame as a Swablu fired off an Air Cutter his way. The glowing blue blade cut through the attack and Marc smirked mentally. He darted past the Flying-Type and armed a grenade, throwing it with all his might at the Pokémon. The grenade struck home and exploded, sending a shower of blood and body parts to the ground below.

Marc didn't even flinch. He knew it was wrong, but considering the state of war the world was in, he didn't even really feel sick anymore. Not since the world had changed into a place where such things were common, a place where such brutality was the norm.

He looked back, only to swear out loud as a missile came his way from one of the administrative buildings for Devon Corp. He barely dodged it as it streaked past his left wing and exploded against another building, sending rubble falling to the ground below. He looked back up at the fighting and smirked mentally as he saw what was happening around him.

 ** _Still I fly_  
所以我繼續飛翔**

Thankfully the Flying types knew when to back off. As they retreated, the Ransian and LaRoussian forces took the chance to establish air superiority, a much welcomed relief to those fighting the aerial Pokémon on the ground. Marc felt a sense of relief in his chest as he armed his machine gun and held his beam saber at the ready, flying in towards the building the missile had come from. He hovered close to one of the windows and peered inside, frowning mentally as he drifted towards a hole in the wall.

He landed inside the hole and glanced around, taking in his surroundings with a keen eye.

Papers littered the floor and shards of glass crunched underneath his heavy metal feet. Wires hung from gaps in the ceiling and pipes were exposed in the gaps as a few lights flickered dimly. He could see plaster collapsed from the walls and exposing the drywall behind it. He stepped forward, trying to avoid a few gaps in the floor and dodging around the collapsed walls of several cubicles. Computers lay disused and printers lay empty of papers, chairs were tipped over and he skirted around a decayed skeleton (was it a former worker?) as he made his way to an intersection in the building itself.

 ** _Now I know just what I gotta do  
_ 我知道我該做什麼**

A roar suddenly caught his attention and Marc spun, whipping his beam saber up as he blocked a sword from the thug that jumped him. Both man and machine pushed against each other's blades, trying to penetrate or break the other's sword. Marc's eyes were hard as he took a step forward and shoved, using his greater strength to his advantage to send the man staggering back. GUNDAM Soldiers were built to be just as strong, if not slightly stronger, than a normal human by default so as to not press home their advantage too greatly; only by shunting power from their core to their hydraulics and systems were they able to exceed this limit.

The man apparently didn't know that and he was surprised by this sudden turn of events as Marc pressed home his advantage by swinging his beam saber multiple times, trying to catch him off guard even more, if that were possible. The gangster however, wasn't willing to give in so easily and he regained his balance, blocking the blows with his sword, but being forced back a step each time he blocked. Marc sensed this and pressed home even more, bringing his beam saber down repeatedly with multiple blows.

The thug grunted with each block, and Marc felt a sense of pride in his chest as he saw his arms shaking with each effort to block.

However, he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

The GUNDAM had no idea what was coming as he spotted another gangster lurking in the shadows, only to scream as he felt a shockwave slam into his back, throwing him onto his chest with the force of the blast. He grunted and rolled over, barely avoiding the sword as it was brought down onto his neck. The blade impacted the floor and Marc reacted swiftly, grabbing the blade and pulling it free before snapping the blade in half with a good tug. The gangster blinked in shock before Marc reached back for his beam saber which had gone skidding and swung it forward as the blue blade ignited, stabbing it right into the man's heart.

 ** _Find the dream is new_  
找尋新夢想**

Marc staggered to his feet as he pulled the blade free and spun to face the other gangster as he fired a barrage from the machine gun he held in his hand. Remains of a grenade littered the floor and he hissed through his faceplate's intakes as he realized what must've happened. The mech ran to the corner he came from and ducked behind it as the bullets pinged off the sides of the wall and piping. He peered out, holstering his own beam saber before aiming his machine gun and returning fire. The bullets stitched a path towards the enemy and struck the ground, the walls and flooring of the building as the gangster took cover behind some overturned desks.

The bullets hit a computer monitor and shattered it with a shower of sparks, making the man cry out as he shielded his face in an attempt to keep it from getting in his eyes or on his clothing. Marc leaned out a bit more, keeping his wings folded against his back to prevent them from getting damaged by the gangster. He mentally grimaced as the bullets barely missed his armor plating. His very frame was now tense from the fighting, every hydraulic and system tensed as he kept firing. The gangster's gun suddenly clicked, indicating he had run out of bullets. Marc sensed the panic in the air, a mental smirk filling his thoughts before he charged out, firing his machine gun right at the gangster, killing him as the bullets rattled his body before it collapsed.

The mech waited a moment, panting a bit as his core pulsed rapidly within his armored chest.

When the gangster didn't move, he inched closer, nudging the corpse with a foot.

 ** _Give it all I got this time_  
這次我要卯足全力**

He was about to leave when he suddenly felt something grab onto his leg and he shot a glance down in shock as the gangster sneered through blood caked lips, and Marc gasped as he saw the bullet proof vest exposed beneath his shirt. The GUNDAM tried to pull his leg away as the man grasped something on his belt and pressed a button, but he couldn't get the limb free. As soon as beeping reached his hearing, though, he instantly grasped what the man was up to. He grabbed his beam saber and ignited it, swiftly cutting the man's hand off, muting the howl of agony as he turned and ran for the corner he had just come from.

The mech leapt out the hole in the wall, spreading his wings and igniting his engines as the suicide bomb went off, killing the man and shattering the rest of the remaining windows with a resounding boom. Fire erupted out those windows and he watched as a sudden blast of fire tore a huge chunk off the other side, and he saw, for a brief moment, some men falling from the floor, a mangled lump of metal between them. He wasn't sure what it was, but something told him it had to have been a missile launcher of some kind.

He let out a sigh of relief as he came to a hover, watching as the entire administrative building began to collapse into a pile of rubble and debris, killing any Pokémon or gangsters that happened to be within the walls. As it collapsed, shards of glass rained down and the screeching of metal on metal could be heard as the steel structure and pipes gave way, the faint crackling of wires snapping and sparks flying barely audible, if at all. He felt sorry for those who were trapped inside, but at the same time some small part of him told him that it was war, and stuff like this was bound to happen anyhow. The dust cloud from the collapse spread out in all directions, blinding both Allied and enemy troops. Those equipped with the Excalibur exosuit and the LWIS Aron, as well as the GUNDAMs on the ground, had no reason to worry due to their filtration systems. But others were not so lucky.

 ** _Still I fly_  
繼續飛翔**

Marc suddenly heard a pinging in his comm system and his HUD displayed the frequency as belonging to his second in command. He pressed his hand to his helm. "Go," he said. "What's the sitrep?"

" _Marc, we need you to get your ass over here!_ " Helga barked as she came on the line. " _The Supreme Warlord wants us to conduct an invasion of the main headquarters for Devon Corp.!_ "

"Why?" he asked.

" _Apparently it's to reclaim the building from the gangsters holed up in there. Drone intel from the Ninjask has revealed at least half their remnants barricaded in there and they've got some artillery that could wipe us out,_ " she replied. " _And we're assigned to work with those... I think they were called... Autonomous Combat Robots, or something like that_?"

Marc tensed, his frame hissing involuntarily. "Shit..." he grumbled. "I hate those things..."

 ** _Still I fly_  
不停地飛**

" _I know, but right now we got no choice,_ " Helga said. " _Now get your ass over here_!"

He nodded. "All right. Marc out." He cut the line and engaged his engines, flying over the battling forces as they made their way through to the heart of the city. He could just make out a few more GUNDAMs hovering close by, along with a few Excalibur-equipped soldiers of the Black Shadow Squadron, which had gotten some new recruits in the last year. One of them looked his way and the helmet's visor slid up, revealing Kyou Kagita's scarred face and intense blue eyes.

"About time you got here," he said, folding his arms. "We got a squad of Myrmidon ACRs coming our way to assist with the operation."

"Mind me asking why we have to work with those tin cans?" a female GUNDAM asked, her red eyes hard.

"Look. I know you don't like it, and neither do I. We have to do this, and besides, as much as I hate to admit it, they are just as good as you guys. But I know how prideful all you GUNDAMs can be, especially since your humanity still exists within robotic frames. So keep it toned down until this part of the op is done," Kyou ordered. "It's for the better."

Marc growled lowly within his vocalizer, but he knew the general was right. He nodded, but it did little to lessen the feeling of pride within his chest.

 ** _Feel the wind all around_  
感受風的吹拂**

The group slowly descended until they were above the ground and touched down, shutting down their engines once on the ground. Marc gripped his machine gun in his hands and inched closer to Kyou and the rest of the squad assigned to the reclamation of the corporation's headquarters. He spotted a few shapes off to the side and his frame tensed again at the sight.

There they were.

Six LaRoussian ACRs coming their way. They had their optics trained on the forces arrayed before them and scanners kicked into action, scanning them up and down before one of them stepped forward, speaking in a monotone voice. "ALLIED FORCES CONFIRMED: RANSIAN GENERAL KYOU KAGITA IDENTIFIED."

Marc grimaced to himself in his thoughts. While GUNDAM Soldiers did have synthesized voices, they still retained the tone and pitch of their human voice, but with a metallic edge to it. That was the one thing they could not get rid of, but they were used to it by now. In stark contrast, the ACRs possessed only monotonous voices and they had no emotion to it. And as much as he hated to admit it, he felt that these things were an insult to everything that GUNDAMs went through in sacrificing their humanity for a better future. It showed how committed Ransians were for a better future. But these... they were just... artificial... and cold.

 ** _All the current to be found_  
我需要更多的勇氣**

Kyou's voice drew him out of his thoughts and he looked at the general as he crouched over a small space littered with dust from the collapsed building and other debris. "Okay. Here's the sitrep. We got over fifty, maybe more, gangsters holed up in Devon Corp. Headquarters, and we've been tasked with clearing them out. But we can't really expect much help because everyone else is scattered throughout the city, trying to reclaim important parts such as the port and train station. With that being said, we've got a few options to try and take the building back. But the best bet is if we attack in two directions." He held up his PokéGauntlet and the screen lit up, the holographic projectors displaying a 3D blueprint of the building from the ground up.

"Lt. Franklin, you are gonna take the ACRs and attack from the ground floor while the rest of us attack from the roof." The image displayed two small dots. "Haunter Team and Arcanine Team, respectively, will enter from these locations and storm the structure, trying to take each floor from the gangsters holding it. This is gonna be a hard mission, as we have no idea how many are spread over what floors. We'll be having to rely on our wits and our training for this one. Our objective is to hole the gangsters up within the middle floors and trap them. Then we'll have hopefully forced the rest to leave by then. We've also got forces keeping an eye on Petalburg Woods for any possible wild Hostiles coming to try and wipe out the city."

Kyou looked up and shut down his PokéGauntlet's screen, gazing at each of them. "Any questions?"

No one raised a hand.

 ** _Who knows what's out there_  
天曉得跨越這片天空後面是什麼**

Marc did though. " _Why do I have to work with those tin cans?_ " He wanted to ask that, but instead he worded it differently. "Sir, why am I being assigned to work with the ACRs?" he asked.

"Because it's better for both of us. You've fought to reclaim buildings before, so you'll lead them in from the ground. Your close quarters style of fighting is also why," Kyou said, although his eyes said the rest of the unsaid sentence. Marc rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Okay," he said. "I get it."

Kyou nodded and got to his feet, gripping his MH-34B5 "Magmar" grenade launcher in his hand. "Right. Then let's go!"

Arcanine Team engaged their engines and jetpacks, taking to the air as Marc rolled his shoulders and squared them, flexing his wings and turning to the ACRs as they stood at attention.

"Well, let's go!" he said.

 ** _But I know I'll get there_  
我只知道我必須穿越**

"AFFIRMATIVE," the lead ACR replied. The others saluted and the group turned, running towards the building's entrance.

Marc's optics landed on the shattered glass and torn off doors, and he grimaced mentally at the sight of a few dead corpses of gangsters lying in the path, their entrails and blood oozing over the ground. He ignored the squirming feeling in his gut and ran past the dead bodies, leaping over some beams that lay in the path of the rest of Haunter Team. The ACRs just ignored the beams and clambered over them, emerging into the lobby of the corporate headquarters. They swept their PAR-41 "Manectric" Pulse Rifles around, one of them leaping before the others and scanning the surroundings as Marc crouched behind some debris from the ceiling.

He held his STA-275 "Jynx" semi-automatic machine gun at chest level and peeped out from his shelter. His wings twitched a bit as he looked left and right, scanning for any sign of any thugs from above or around them. Thankfully there were none down here...

"HOSTILE DETECTED. ENGAGING NOW." One of the ACRs, the one closest to Marc, aimed its rifle up at the staircase and Marc shot his gaze up, his reflexes taking over and aiming his SMG at the thug behind the banister and around the corner. His finger pulled the trigger just as the ACR did the same thing, the two rounds slamming into the man's chest not even five seconds later, sending him crashing to the floor above them. Marc growled a bit to himself. Both he and the ACRs were matched for reflex time.

 ** _All off into the sun_  
直奔太陽**

"HOSTILE ELIMINATED. PROCEEDING TO NEXT OBJECTIVE." The ACRs proceeded to resume their leapfrogging, two of them going forward while the others covered their rear. Marc proceeded to follow on his own, moving from cover to cover behind them to act as a rear guard. He kept his sensors on high alert for any sign of thugs or gangsters.

He stepped over the body, grimacing mentally as his foot brushed against the flesh and exposed lung. He shook his foot before continuing on after his "soldiers". He arrived at the intersection leading into the first office floor, and he crouched behind an ACR. "OBJECTIVE IDENTIFIED. HOSTILES IN AREA. PREPARING TO ENGAGE."

Marc grunted as he leapt out, charging in with a couple of the ACRs behind him. He fired his SMG a few times, hitting two thugs in the head and clipping the other on the shoulder. A sense of satisfaction pulsed in his chest as he watched the man writhe on the ground, the bullet having shredded the tendon connecting his arm to his shoulder joint. The GUNDAM stepped over his victim and crouched behind an overturned desk, holding his gun at the ready as the ACRs began to start to spread out. Marc suddenly raised a hand, motioning for them to stop.

The did just that. He smirked mentally before he motioned for two of them to sneak around to the rear of the thugs just a few meters in front of them.

"AFFIRMATIVE. ORDERS RECEIVED," one of them said.

 ** _I know I'm not the only one that's_  
我知道我不是孤軍奮戰  
**  
Marc winced at the loud tone and held a finger to his faceplate to indicate quieter tones.

"Affirmative. Orders received," the ACR said in a quieter volume.

The GUNDAM nodded in satisfaction and he resumed his watch as the two ACRs crept up behind the two thugs. Two headshots was all it took to render them dead and out of the way. The group proceeded to make their way up to the next floor, and repeated the process. The whole time Marc relied on tactics and strategy to outwit the gangsters, and at one point he took down a thug with his bare hands, much to his own surprise and shock. Thankfully they didn't have much longer as the group reached the middle floors where the bulk of the group was hiding out.

Marc pressed a hand to his helm. "Arcanine Team, this is Haunter Team. What's your arrival time?"

" _Just a few minutes more, Haunter Team!_ " Kyou's voice replied. " _We're almost to your whiskey_!"

 ** _Never letting go, gotta learn to grow_  
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長**

"Good!" Marc remarked. "The sooner the better!"

The comm line went dead and he returned his focus to the battlefield at hand. All around him he could see the raging battlefield on the middle floor they were on, and he swore as he ducked down behind a desk and half collapsed cubicle wall. The bullets from the gangsters' machine guns embedded themselves in the wall and desk, some of the debris dislodged clattering off his armor.

"Fuckin' bastards!" he grumbled. "Sure wish I had a clearer line of sight!"

He peeped over the makeshift barricade and propped his machine gun on the top, like one of the infantrymen of the Old Days. His optics displayed a narrow-eyed expression as he studied the surrounding area, waiting for one of the thugs to make a move.

 ** _Watch me as I touch the sky_  
看著我到達了頂端**

The next thing he knew, there were bullets whizzing every which way, the "Manectric" pulse rifles and "Jynx" SMGs firing in an attempt to stop the gangsters as they began to pour out of their hiding spots, preparing to bring down those who dared to infiltrate their holdout and last stronghold. Marc flinched on instinct as the projectiles whizzed past him, barely missing his V-fin. "Damn fuckers!" he muttered as he poked his head up and fired his gun at the gangsters charging towards his position.

The bullets shredded the first two, but the three behind had armed themselves with makeshift shields of heavy books and wood taped together. Marc hissed through his vents at the sight, only to suddenly tense and leap aside as one of the gangsters lobbed a Molotov cocktail his way. He landed on his knees and rolled to the side, holding his machine gun at chest level, peering over the sight and taking out the thug. The man dropped without as much as a sound as the sounds of gunfire above caught his attention. Marc looked up at the ceiling, only to gasp as part of it gave way, and the rest of the team dropped down into the middle of the fray, plasterboard, rubble, and ceiling tiles landed around them.

Marc leapt to the side as that happened, and he pushed himself to his hands and knees, coughing to get some of the dust out of his intakes; his filtration system had blocked out the rest.

 ** _Still I fly_  
所以我繼續飛翔**

Kyou shot a glance back over his shoulder. "You okay?" he called.

Marc nodded. "Yeah... Thanks..." he rasped, staggering to his feet while holding his machine gun. He aimed it and tried to fire, but the clip was empty; only clacks resounded. He swore as he ejected the empty clip and grabbed one from his armor before slamming it home. He checked the chamber and nodded before aiming and firing at another Seviper gang member. The man grunted as he took a bullet to his arm.

"How'd it go up there?" Marc asked seriously. "It was close to Hell down here!"

"Not as bad as you'd think, but still pretty damn bad," Kyou remarked. "Still not gonna talk about it though."

Marc wisely kept his vocalizer muted as he looked back at the thugs now coming at the entire team.

 ** _Now I know just what I gotta do_  
我知道我該做什麼**

The fighting was brutal as the gangsters and Allied forces engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat within that one floor of the building. This was also the place where it would determine the fate of the city's future. And both sides were not relenting under any circumstances.

" _We got incoming!_ " a voice suddenly shouted from outside over Marc's comm. The GUNDAM pressed a hand to his helm as he blocked a gangster's sword with his beam saber.

"What's happening outside?" he asked harshly. "We're kinda busy here!"

" _Well, hurry up with whatever you're doing in Devon Corp. and get your asses out here! We've got incoming hordes of Bug-Types from the woods!_ " the voice replied.

Marc swore in Ransian as he released his comm and resumed his offense, shunting a bit more of his core's energy to his hydraulics and cutting the sword clean in half before clenching a fist and punching the gangster right in the jaw, shattering it and sending the man into a coma. He tapped Kyou on the shoulder and relayed the message.

 ** _Find the dream is new_  
找尋新夢想**

Kyou grunted as he punched a thug in the torso and snatched his pistol, killing the man with it before tossing it aside and grabbing his own beam saber. He ignited the blade and at once he went on the attack, cutting his way through several gangsters and rejoining with the rest of the unit, relaying the message one at a time. They all doubled their efforts as Marc barked an order to the ACRs. "Mission objective changed!" he said. "Try to clear this floor as soon as possible! No prisoners taken!"

"ORDERS ACKNOWLEDGED. ENGAGING HOSTILE FORCES. EXTERMINATION IMMINENT."

With those seven words, they went on the offense, killing emotionlessly and accurately, leaving no living gangsters in their wake.

 ** _Give it all I got this time_  
這次我要卯足全力**

The clearing of Devon Corp. Headquarters had taken less than three hours, although it felt longer to Marc as they emerged from the headquarters on the ground floor. He was relieved they had cleared it so effectively, but he hadn't expected the aftermath when they emerged outside.

Right into a shithole of even worse proportions.

As the sergeant major had reported, there were Bug types coming in from Petelburg Woods, and they were not stopping for anything, not even to check or assist their wounded. Marc swore under his breath as he flared his wings and ignited his engines, taking flight to get a better idea of how many they were dealing with. As he rose above the city, he was able to see the landing craft and forces trying to sustain their beachheads and he wondered if they'd be able to under these conditions.

 ** _Still I fly_  
繼續飛翔**

He was surprised to see the Hydro Pump and Camerupt SPAs moving into bombardment positions, and he wondered if they'd be able to do much damage at the rate the Hostile Bugs were coming. And he was genuinely worried for their crews. Nothing like this had ever been attempted, and personally, if what the intel they had received was true, then things were bound to really get fucked up once the invasion commenced for real.

A cry cut across the battlefield, and his eyes jerked away from the SPAs towards a lone human figure. It was wearing something like a light, skin-tight combat suit of white and black color, along a helmet with a gold faceplate which obscured the view of the face. It held out a hand and a blast of golden-yellow energy fired from it, seeming to take on a dragon-like shape as it charged at the incoming Hostiles. The dragon hit the ground, carving a sort of trench in the ground before the SPAs, allowing them to be protected for a limited time.

" _Holy shit...! Was that the Dragon_?!"

" _The Dragon of LaRousse_?!"

" _Yeah! He did some major damage during the Battle of LaRousse seven years ago_!"

" _Raquayza wasn't too pleased to be beaten by a mere human, I bet_!"

" _You kidding?! Ol' Dragonface was pissed off when it was over_!"

Still I fly  
不停地飛

The comments he heard over his comm system made his breath catch in his throat and his core pulsate faster in his chest. He had heard of the Dragon, and of how he was supposed to be one of their best warriors, not just in the use of aura as an Aura Guardian, but in combat too. And he hated to admit it, but that was why he had even volunteered to undergo the GUNDAM transformation when he was wounded. So he could be able to fight alongside his idol, the Dragon of LaRousse, meaning his stories had traveled across the other regions apart from Hoenn including Ransei.

He was surprised even further when the Dragon leapt into the air, firing off a series of golden aura blasts coming from a pair of small cannons mounted on the shoulders of his suit at incoming Ariados and Wurmple, taking them out with precision and ease. The SPAs were safe for now, at least until the Bug Types got past the trench the Dragon had carved with the Dragon Fist. Marc thought of how different it would have been if the Dragon had used the full power Dragon Fist he used against Rayquaza instead of the lesser one he used now. If that had been the case, it could have destroyed the entire block or even a greater part of the city. Marc gunned his engines and flew down, attempting to get in closer, but then the SPAs fired, their guns roaring and sending HE-FRAG rounds right at the enemy Pokémon, shredding multiple of them and leaving gaping craters in the ground just outside the city entrance.

Marc hesitated, staring in shock at the damage done by the artillery of the LaRousse-Ransei Alliance.

 ** _Still I fly_  
不停地飛**

But the Pokémon were not deterred. If anything, they were even more enraged than before. Ariados began to shoot their String Shot for the treads and tracks of the SPAs, their intentions being to bind the drive systems and keep them in place. Thankfully before they could strike them though, several large shapes lumbered out of the debris and burning ruins of the city.

Marc's eyes widened as he stared in shock at the huge four-legged Ursaring Land Assault Drones, four of them. Behind them came an entire LaRoussian platoon, and they clearly were armed to kill. The GUNDAM Soldier hovered down closer, landing on the ground and inching as close as he could to the battle site, only to feel a tap on his back. He looked back only to stare at a LaRoussian soldier.

"Better get out of here. We don't want anyone to get hurt," she said.

The GUNDAM nodded, but didn't budge.

"That's a direct order from your general," the LaRoussian repeated.

Marc's eyes widened and he backed off before taking to the sky as the battle began.

 ** _Bring it in_  
開始吧**

He watched in awe as the LaRoussian attack drones lumbered forward, their thick armor taking the attacks of String Shot and Poison Sting like it was nothing. Their 10x28 mm six barreled rotary Gatling guns spun up and sent the explosive-tipped rounds right towards the Ariados and Wurmple. The lumbering drones also didn't hesitate to let loose their 12 gauge semi-automatic shotguns and grenade launchers as well, shredding Pokémon that dared to venture past their fellows and giving cover to the LaRoussian infantry.

The slaughter was mindboggling. And gruesome right down to the final detail. (Marc made sure to delete the memories after the reclamation of the city succeeded. One of the perks to being a GUNDAM Soldier, he knew.) He shuddered as one Ariados managed to get past an Ursaring drone, only to be squashed by the second right behind it.

And on top of that, the SPAs kept sending the rounds down range towards the hostiles.

 ** _I'll go shine_  
我將發光發熱**

As they came, Marc watched with a look of almost reverence at the sight of both forces working as one, the LaRoussian troops coming forward, backed up by the Steelix as they came to a stop near the trench that the Dragon had carved into the earth. Their 120mm cannons roared, sending HE shells right for the Ariados and Wurmple. Meanwhile all of this was happening, the Dragon of LaRousse itself was leading the LaRoussian men into battle. With all of them fighting motivated and with their morale skyrocketed from the presence of such a mighty and legendary hero among them. Where the Dragon was fighting the bug offensive with a mix of energy blasts from aura attacks, and the use of what seemed to be a pair of sabers with golden-colored energy blades made of aura similar to the GUNDAMs beam sabers at melee which sliced and burned through any enemy it faced.

The Bug-Types had initiated what the Ransians called a Horde Mode, and he was witnessing it for the first time. He had only heard of these things, and to even see one was a shocker and it sent shivers racing down his frame and wings. The explosions dotting the area were visible through the thick smoke that the shells generated, and the dust was barely concealing the fires that generated as a result of the heat and burning grass. String Shots and Poison Sting tore through the smoke, hitting a few tanks and some soldiers, leaving some soldiers cut in half and some wriggling out of their exosuits as the Poison Sting began to eat at the armor. The tanks on the other hand, and well, the Hariyama was heavily protected thanks to its energy shield, which just shrugged it off.

The SPAs took a few hits from Poison Sting as well, so their NBC capabilities really came in handy this time, and the separation of crew and ammo worked as advertised.

 ** _It's my moment, gotta living it right_  
我的時刻已到來是時候起身**

His comm beeped and he turned as he spotted Helga approaching. "Marc! C'mon!" she called. "We gotta get behind the line if these bugs get past the front!"

Marc blinked, realizing how bad things really were and nodded. "Right! Sorry!"

She hovered over and grabbed his hand, tugging him back towards the devastated city. "I know it's interesting and spectacular to watch, but we have our own problems! We've still got some gangsters to mop up!" she remarked.

The GUNDAM lieutenant internally grimaced. "Great... Mopping up..." he grumbled.

"At least we've got something to do at all," Helga shot back.

 ** _I'm flying_  
我不斷地飛**

The two reached the city's remains once more, spotting the thugs and gangsters that had somehow escaped detection throughout the battle. They landed on the ground and met back up with Kyou. The general turned to face them, his eyes barely visible behind the visor of his helmet. "We got more thugs from the downtown area swarming in. We have the majority of them either taken out or in captivity, but these guys apparently want their fellows freed," he said.

"Dammit... Just when I thought this was wrapped up," Marc grumped.

"I know, but it's the Warlord's orders," Kyou said as he walked over to the mech.

"Is Warlord Krane coming ashore?" Helga asked.

"Surprisingly, he is. He wants to see how the reclamation is going personally," the general admitted. "But I highly think it's not a good idea."

"You're not the only one," Marc muttered under his breath as he looked back at the Kusanagi and the single helicopter coming ashore.

 ** _Flying so strong_  
用力地飛**

"Well, we gotta deal with it," Helga said as she looked at the aircraft coming in. The helicopter turned and extended the landing gear, the rotors creating enough wash to keep them ducking down. The helicopter touched down and the rotors slowed enough to allow the door to open and the Supreme Warlord himself leapt out, his hair tossed by the rotor wash. Once he was on the ground, he gave the thumbs up and the pilot lifted off, heading back to the Kusanagi.

Supreme Warlord Spray Krane looked around at the battle sites, his brown eyes hard as he hefted his preferred weapon, the same steel pipe he had first used during the Unification of Ransei. The metal was dulled and dented, with some parts scraped, and the concrete within had strengthened it to more durable levels, so there were very few cracks in it. He strode towards the group.

Marc actually felt a lump forming in his throat at his superior officer, actually the Warlord himself, being here on the battlefield. Not only was it highly irregular, but also dangerous. But then again, during the Unification, he _had_ been on the front lines practically all the time. So it made sense he'd want to be in on the action.

 ** _I'm moving_  
不斷地前進**

"Kyou, how are things looking?" Spray asked as he surveyed the city around them.

"Looking good so far, Spray," Kyou reported with a salute. "We got several gangster holdouts, but they're minor compared to what we encountered initially. The SPAs and LaRoussian drones are holding the front near the city entrance to defend it from the wild Hostiles that came out of Petalburg Woods."

"And the main buildings? Are they intact?" Spray asked.

"Aside from one of the administrative buildings that collapsed, yes. The rest are all intact, just missing flooring here and there and windows," Kyou explained. He lowered his hand. "All in all, they're not as in bad a shape as reported by the refugees."

Spray nodded. "Good. Make sure we can prevent the Sevipers or other gangsters from getting to them."

 ** _I'm moving_  
不斷地前進**

Kyou nodded and turned back to the situation. "That aside, the suburbs can easily be cleared out of any Hostiles or gang members. It's the downtown I'm more worried about. The LaRoussians are thinking of sending a drone in to scout out to see just how many holdouts remain intact."

Spray pursed his lips, pondering this.

A sudden roar caught his attention and the warlord spun, the metal pipe in his hand flashing through the air and clanging against the metal pipe of his adversary. The man grunted as he pressed his greater strength home, but Spray was more experienced in the use of his weapon and he dropped down, throwing his opponent off balance by shoving his pipe up at an angle. He then spun it around in his fingers so that way the pointed tip was aimed right at the man's windpipe. Spray then stood and stabbed, jabbing that sharp tip right into his larynx and cutting off his airflow to his brain. The gangster gargled and staggered back, collapsing to the ground as Spray pulled the pipe out and finished the job with a stab to the heart.

 ** _I'm moving on…_  
不斷地往前進**

Kyou grimaced at the sight. "Geez!" he muttered. "And I thought it was worse beforehand!"

"Maybe," Kyou muttered, "but you gotta remember. This is war." His eyes were hard as he looked back at their warlord who drew the pipe from the gangster's heart and wiped it with his hand. He held it in his hand as he approached them.

"Damn gangsters have no clue..." he said seriously. His brown eyes were hard, and Marc thought he saw a gleam of despair in those eyes. Then again, he couldn't blame the warlord for feeling the way he was. To be honest, Marc was beginning to wonder if the war would _ever_ end, if there would even _be_ peace between the two races once more.

Because right now, it looked as if the war would continue indefinitely.

 ** _Never letting go, gotta learn to grow_  
永遠都不放棄 不斷地成長**

Such thinking though was what had led many soldiers to either defect or commit suicide, at least in some of the other regions. For Ransei, the only thing that kept them going was the drive for a better future, a stark contrast to how the rest of the world was living at the moment. Well, them and LaRousse. The HLC would no doubt be feeling the strain of the war for many years, and it would affect their peoples as much as it was with the other regions. Marc sometimes wondered how Ransei was able to deal with the amount of fighting, especially since many soldiers had been on the front lines for six, almost seven, years at this point.

"Hey, you okay?" a voice asked.

Marc jerked a bit as he sensed the warlord's hand on his shoulder. He turned to look the man in the eyes, and he could see that even the Supreme Warlord was wondering the same thing. He sighed and shook his head. "No. Not really..." the GUNDAM admitted. "I mean..." He looked around at the fighting raging everywhere around them. "How is it that we can handle this? Most of us would normally be suffering from Post Traumatic Stress by now..."

 ** _Watch me as I touch the sky_  
看著我到達了頂端**

"To be honest, a lot of us are suffering from PTSD," Spray admitted. "I can see it in their eyes. And the Heart can sense it." He held up his crystal, his eyes reflecting its blue glow. "But we still fight on because of the future we all desire. And the future that Ho-oh wants us to have in stark contrast to the future we want."

"Isn't it going to be a bit much though?" Marc asked. "To keep asking them to fight when they can't?"

"Most others would agree, but I have to say no. We have to fight. It's the only way we can defeat those two in order to create a better future," Spray said as he dropped his crystal and began to walk back towards the command center, really just a bombed out Pokémon Center. "I know it's wrong, and I will admit it, but as Ransei continues to recover, more soldiers will come, and then those that have done their fighting will be sent back to be treated for their PTSD. That is when we will do shifts to keep our fighting forces as mentally fit as possible."

 ** _Still I fly_  
所以我繼續飛翔**

The GUNDAM nodded, getting what the Supreme Warlord was saying. As he looked back around him though, he felt his shoulders sag a bit and he sighed. "I just wish... wish we could reverse this somehow..."

"Forget it. You heard what Lugia said when we met with him a few months back. Ho-oh's wish cannot be undone. And even if we could how would we know what the proper wording is, and how to do so?" Kyou snapped as he laced his arms behind his head as they reached the command center. Spray threw open the tarp they used to cover the entrance and the men walked inside.

Around them they could see the men and women of both the LaRoussian and Ransian forces doing work or going over charts and how to recapture the parts of the city that still remained in Seviper hands. Some were even using a combat laptop to coordinate with the front near Petalburg Woods and the city entrance.

 ** _Now I know just what I gotta do_  
我知道我該做什麼**

"Sir!" a soldier yelped as she saluted, dropping her papers into a loose pile.

"At ease," Spray said with a wave of his hand. He walked over and knelt, helping the flustered soldier pick up the papers. "Sorry. But I had to come see the op for myself."

"Okay. And so far, things are looking good, especially when dealing with the Ariados and Wurmple on the front near the woods. There are some other types joining in, but we can't ID them in that mess," the soldier remarked as she brushed off her uniform and handed the papers to a nearby aide. She waved for him to bring them to the commander of the artillery forces in that sector.

"Excellent. But we need to be ready for if anymore come from the northern and western entrance," Spray told her.

"Won't have to worry about that, Warlord Krane," one of the LaRoussian soldiers said as he stepped forward with his helmet held under his arm. His hair was deep brown but was greying near the bottom and his eyes were a hard emerald. "The name's Kota Yi, Lieutenant Colonel of the LaRousse 14th Heavy Artillery Regiment." He saluted with his free hand.

 ** _Find the dream is new_  
找尋新夢想**

"Lieutenant." Spray saluted in return.

"As you know, we got the route to the west under our command, but the northern sector is still out of our reach for now," Lt. Col. Yi replied as he lowered his hand. "We're not able to fully get it yet, and considering the upcoming operation, we won't be able to reclaim that part of the region for some time."

Spray nodded. "Yeah. I'm well aware. Why do you think we offered our assistance?"

"Oh, and the President wants to meet with you later today once this op is completed. He wants to discuss the logistics and other key factors with you, such as what ships you'll be able to spare," Yi explained. "If not, he'll come to Aurora, if that's all right."

"Anything really. I don't care either way. But I would prefer to meet him in his office," the warlord stated.

Yi nodded. "I'll relay the report back ASAP."

 ** _Give it all I got this time_  
這次我要卯足全力**

By now, Marc noticed that the fighting was dying down. Or at least was growing fainter. He looked over at the soldiers coordinating with the Camerupt and Hydro Pump SPAs, and wandered over to them, peering at the screen on the combat laptop. The screen depicted the two sides, the Hostiles outlined in red and the blue points being the Allied forces. Well, the Ransian ones were shown as bluish white, really.

The red dots were starting to fall back from the front, from what he could see, and the blue and bluish white dots were moving forward somewhat before stopping. More red dots blinked out of sight and he only wondered how many would be dead by the time this battle was over. Marc shuddered a bit and one of the soldiers looked up, holding a pen in her mouth.

The GUNDAM raised his hands. "Sorry. I was just curious..." he blurted out rather lamely.

The soldier shrugged. "Why hide it?" she asked with a smirk. "Not many are really interested in this to be honest."

 ** _Still I fly_  
繼續飛翔**

Marc actually chuckled a bit at her comment. "Not me. That's for sure," he joked, motioning to his frame with his hands.

"Yeah. GUNDAM, right? Aerial type?" the soldier asked.

He nodded. "Yeah."

They struck up a conversation to pass the time as the rest of the battle raged on around them, finally coming to an end when the first of the sun's rays poked over the horizon the next morning.

 ** _Still I fly_  
不停地飛**

The battle had come to an end, and as Spray stood at the foot of the Devon Corp. Headquarters, he eyed the sun and he felt an immense sense of pride within his chest at the sight. It always made him feel better whenever he thought about what the children would've gone through. And to finally know that Rustboro City's children could grow up without fear of the gang was one thing, but... to finally know that LaRousse was taking charge of its protection made him feel better about them and their future.

His mind flitted back briefly to the memory of that little girl in the street of his subdivision, half her body eaten by Fearow, and her family mourning her at her funeral. He personally had attended the event, and given a speech in honor of those who died that day. He traveled all across Ransei after the Unification, giving speeches at the memorials dedicated to those who died when the Undampening happened, and each kingdom applauded him for his moving, and very honest, words in memory of their loved ones. And unlike in the past, all these memorials were dedicated to everyone who died as part of Ransei, and throughout each of them, there was one spot that had the names of the dead inscribed, each wall mounted in front of the remains of the city halls. In total, one point five million of Ransei's civilians, soldiers, and government workers died the day of the Undampening. And each city memorial had a wall inscribed with all the names.

It made him feel somewhat at ease knowing that the dead were to be remembered, but he wanted to do more than that. He wanted a memorial that would recall _all_ the dead... around the world, not just in Ransei alone.

And to make that happen, they had to win this war.

Once and for all.


	12. F-24 Night Slash

**File # 011**

 **F-24 Night Slash**

 **Type:** Stealth fighter jet

 **Length:** 18.80 m

 **Wingspan:** Wingspan, fully forward: 20.62 m

 **Height:** 4.52 m

 **Wing area:** 1000 ft²

 **Empty weight:** 30,000 lb

 **Loaded weight:** 60,600 lb

 **Max takeoff weight:** 65,000 lb

 **Powerplant:** 2× HoR integrated Pratt  & Whitney YF220, 65,000 lbf

 **Maximum speed:** Mach 2.34 (2,485 km/h) at high altitude

 **Combat radius:** 28,026 km

 **Ferry range:** 24,560 km

 **Service ceiling:** 15,200 m

 **Rate of climb:** 229 m/s

 **Wing loading:** 553.9 kg/m²

 **Thrust/weight:** 0.91

 **Armament:**

1× 20 mm M261 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon, with 675 rounds

 **Hardpoints:** 10 total: 6× under-fuselage, 2× under nacelles and 2× on wing gloves with a capacity of 6,600 kg of ordnance and fuel tanks

 **Air-to-air missiles:** AIM-54 Phoenix, AIM-7 Spearow, AIM-9 Ekans, BGR-95 Aqua Tail

 **Air-to-air missiles:**

AIM-120 AMRAAM

AIM-132 ASRAAM

AIM-9X Ekans

 **Air-to-ground weapons:**

4× AGM-88 HARM "Darmanitan"

AGM-154 JSOW "Haxorus"

AGM-158 JASSM "Larvesta"

 **Special Ability -** Crystal Pulse

* * *

 **NOTES**

Stealth has proven to be an asset in many ways.

But sometimes one has to sacrifice stealth for attack.

The F-24 Night Slash fighter jet is an attempt to work a perfect balance between the need for stealth and the need for air-to-air superiority.

To offset its unique status, its airframe is a mixture of the ill-fated F-14 Haunter and F-22 Gastly fighter jets, both of which are still in service, but are costing too much to produce more of them. As it stands, only fifty of each remain in service due to the others being cannibalized to salvage spare parts. The airframes are sound and have excellent qualities, but they have severe drawbacks in that the F-22 Gastly is not built for air superiority and the F-14 Haunter is not built for stealth. So to overcome that drawback, the frames were melded together, creating a true combat stealth plane.

Testing done on the frame has shown it to be incredibly hard to spot on radar, assisted by the radar absorbent technology and IR suppressing paint on the airframe itself. Also the swept wings, a trademark feature of the F-14, were shown to have aided in the radar reduction. The major problem though was the factor of logistics. However, the HoR-integrated jet turbines have again proven handy in extending the range drastically. While not as long or far reaching as with the standard land vehicles, out of all the aerial vehicles, the F-24 Night Slash has the farthest range at 28,026 km and the farthest ferry range at 24,560 km. This means it can get to where it needs to go and engage in fierce dogfights or long-range escort missions before having to fall back for resupply of its ammunition.

The plane is more than capable as a stealth jet, but its true strength lies in its flexibility, for either stealth or air superiority, or even sneak attacks. This means that it can be fielded in any capacity it needs to be. The Night Slash, called such because of its black coloring with purple trim, is also known for what is known as supermaneuverability, or the ability of the aircraft to maintain pilot control and perform maneuvers in situations and ways exceeding those that are possible by pure aerodynamic mechanisms. This means it can pull off maneuvers that even the F-14 Haunter cannot pull off. The means of this has been achieved by thrust vectoring, or the ability of an aircraft, rocket, or other vehicle to manipulate the direction of the thrust from its engine(s) or motor in order to control the attitude or angular velocity of the vehicle. The thrusters on the back allow for it to control its pitch and roll to great effect due to their thrust vectoring capability.

The supercruise function is also added, rendering the craft capable of flying without needing to burn its fuel, and extending the range to its maximum. The turbofans have within them charged shards of crystal, so the fuel is burned more efficiently so as to reduce carbon emissions while extending the range for farther travel and the mission capacity. The shards are charged through the small rod on the back behind the cockpit when the Heart sends a surge of power out to recharge the aircraft's turbine engines. By charging them through this surge, it allows for the plane to remain airborne, making it the only plane capable of this feat.

The plane is equipped with countermeasures, mainly flares and chaff to deflect the enemy missiles and throw them off course, as is standard for all fighter jets. But it also has another advantage: this jet is the only one able to send a pulse of crystal energy out when going into supercruise. The pulse is meant to disrupt any electronics in missiles that the flares miss, but some pilots have reported using the pulse to disrupt Pokémon attacks as well, but not very well. In fact, the only types of attacks it can really disrupt are Swift and Poison Sting, but one pilot reported using it to shatter a Hyper Beam attack. The feat cannot be replicated however; it is unknown how he did it to begin with. This "attack" has been dubbed Crystal Pulse because of its unique origins. But, this ability comes at a price: it drains the plane's crystal turbines of their charge, limiting its radius. So it has to be used wisely.

For armaments, the only real significant missile that is equipped to this jet is the AIM-54 Phoenix air-to-air missile, known formerly as the Ho-oh. The missile in question is a long-range missile with excellent homing capabilities, but were never fully utilized, a trait that has been righted by mating it with the F-24 Night Slash. Originally called the Ho-oh because of its unique coloring and ability to mount HE warheads, the missile had its designation changed to Phoenix because of its resurrection back to the modern battlefield. The missile has also been modified to allow it to carry CPC-21B warheads in addition to larger cluster bombs.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Gotta say, these jets are very lethal." - Corporal Aaron Wilson, Company B, 14th Brigade, 15th Avia Airborne

"Sleek, fast, stealthy, deadly. This is the kind of jet we needed. And we did it all on our own." - Captain Lenneth Kong, Company D, 4th Infantry Brigade, 17th Yaksha Air Base

"Hey, Kaminko! Ever think about developing a fighter jet like this? If so, then get your ass over here so you can see how it's done!" Major Keith Wallace, Company A, 2nd Bomber Group, 15th Greenleaf Air Division

"Yo! Uxie! You try and outsmart us this time! Fuckin' pixie doesn't get that we're not to be messed with!" - Major General Yolei Kane, Ace Squadron, Third Air Wing, Avia Air Base

* * *

 **LaRousse Boundaries**

 **14 February, 7 YDR**

The entire area was a peaceful sight at night.

The pilot smiled as he eyed the many windmills dotting the city exterior. The blades gently whirred, sending power directly into the city and channeling that energy directly into its formidable defenses. The lights hummed, and cars sped back and forth between the buildings as people and Pokémon alike wandered the streets, either getting something to eat, going to late night jobs, or just chatting with fellow workers or inhabitants. Most of the suburbs were dark, a sign that people were bedding down for the evening.

And that also made it the prime moment to strike.

The sleek fighter jet sped down low, its black coloring and armored frame flashing over the land, bypassing any homes that remained out of LaRousse's defenses and managing to evade detection. The plane was none other than the newly developed F-24 Night Slash, the latest in Ransian stealth aircraft. The pilot, Major Thomas Anderrson, wondered just how much power the city had, mostly due to the EAPS the city had. His eyes flicked down to the controls and he fingered the button for the single muntion needed for this mission. He knew the reason why he and several others had been sent, and he figured it was a good idea, but the means to do it would no doubt have repercussions they didn't need. Still, even with LaRousse having advanced technology that put them on par with Ransei, their technology had an obvious flaw that most others refused to recognize: their technology was overspecialized, focusing solely on Pokémon adversaries.

Ransians, on the other hand, knew of the threat that came from other human factions, and therefore their technology was more flexible in dealing with both sides. The Order of Ragnarok had shown the need for technology in dealing with human foes as well, so their technology was built around flexibility in offense and defense against both humans and Pokémon alike. He shot a glance back down at the city as his plane exited supercruise, and he slowly pivoted the machine over to the right, stealing a brief glance down at the city's marks remaining from the Battle of LaRousse, and he smiled as he saw a group of kids taking pictures close to the crater made by the Dragon of LaRousse during the battle when his signature attack inflicted catastrophic damage to Raquayza.

 _ **I'm at war with the world and they**_

 **私は、世界と彼らとの戦争によ**

His eyes flicked to the closest part of the city, and he smiled a bit as his radar lit up, showing the incoming jets as friendlies. The seven Ransian jets peeled off and began to circle, arming their missiles and guns for the attack. Of course, they were not to use real ammunition. They were set to use a few Aqua Tail rockets that had been modified to carry the CPC-21B EMP warhead; it was small enough to fit inside one. The reason it was used primarily in the Extremespeed was due to the need to clump two or three together into one larger warhead. Thankfully not much needed to be done to modify the rockets. Everything else was real, live ammo, however; but orders to miss any LaRoussian jets that scrambled to meet them forbade them from firing on their allies. Not that they would, anyway.

Major Anderrson's brown eyes locked onto his fellow pilots and the radio crackled within his helmet and he pressed the radio button. " _Go, Arbok Lead_ ," he said.

" _Arbok One. Got you in sight_ ," the feminine voice of his wingman said. He chuckled a bit as he shook his head. He knew the woman in that plane. She was the leader of this mission, Major General Yolei Kane. And one of Ransei's leading aces in air-to-air combat, especially against the Dragonite that sometimes attacked Ransei from just outside Kanto's borders. To be honest, he found it a mystery that the Dragon-type was able to cross over the distance of ocean between the two nations. It wasn't much of a surprise really, as the distance was less than a hundred miles, but most Dragon-types save for Dragonair couldn't make that journey. She put her plane alongside his own. " _You got the flare_?"

The major nodded as he eyed the button on the controls of his plane's cockpit. The light from the screens and dials made the light from the crystal inserted into the slot seem a bit dimmer, and his mind pondered what would happen if he removed his crystal from the slot briefly. Would the energy from the shards in the turbines be enough to keep the plane aloft? He was tempted, but he brushed it aside and toggled the comm. " _Yes, I have the flare_ ," he replied. " _Command give us a target yet_?"

" _Yes. It's supposed to be the Capitol Building. We have it on our maps_." The major general's voice was dead serious as she said this. Thomas shot a glance at his PokéGauntlet, but due to the need to fly his plane with both hands, he couldn't exactly trigger the map function or access the e-mails. What he did do though was get back on and contact her.

" _Good_ ," he said. " _And I can understand why the Supreme Warlord chose it_."

Major General Kane nodded, although he couldn't see it. She put her plane ahead of his and the other five formed up around him. " _Okay, people_ ," she said, getting on the open comm line. " _The mission is simple: get in and drop that flare before bugging out. The reason why is to show how LaRousse isn't equipped to deal with human adversaries. And our orders are simple: do not bring down any of our allies, but miss them with your weapons and munitions. That's all. Everything else is free. Your calls, your moves, your operational freedom. Just no friendly fire on either us or LaRousse, got it_?"

" _Affirmative_!" the pilots replied as one.

The major general smiled to herself. " _Okay, then let's go for it_!"

 _ **Try to pull me into the dark**_

 **ダークに私を引っ張ってみてください**

The pilots peeled away from Thomas as he put his jet into an aileron roll and flashed over close to the many radar stations that dotted the borders of the capital city of the Republic. He could see them even visually and they did look damn impressive, with their solid lattice structure and their sensor arrays aimed at the airspace around the city. He actually found that the lattice structure made sense, as the gaps between the steel beams would render explosives and bombs useless, along with the attack Explosion. A chuckle escaped him as he recalled an attempt by a few Golem to destroy a Ransian radar station just outside the kingdoms Avia and Spectra, only for it to fail as the lattice framework allowed the structure to remain standing.

But right now they had a mission to complete.

He only wondered what the President was thinking at this moment.

* * *

 **Presidential Building**

 **LaRousse City**

 **14 February, 7 YDR**

Presidential work was a bore, he knew, but even so, prior to this, his work was just dealing with corporate affairs.

Now he was running an entire country, and that kind of work was a lot more involved.

President Steven Stone, the leader of the Republic of LaRousse, ran a hand through his steely grey hair and adjusted the papers on his desk before standing up and preparing to turn in for the night. As he gathered them up and put them in the folder, he stopped and peered out the window, looking at the city's residents going about their business, both human and Pokémon alike. Robots were mixed in with them, he noted, and he smiled a bit before turning and walking down the carpeted hallway. He passed by a few of his security guards and they saluted as he nodded and returned it with a wave of his own.

His mind briefly drifted back to the meeting he had had with Ransian Supreme Warlord Spray Krane, and personally, while he liked the man and their two countries shared the same ideals, he felt that the warlord was a bit paranoid in insisting that his forces be equipped to deal with human factions as well. He brushed it aside, saying that all of humanity was at war with the Pokémon under Ho-oh and Uxie's command. There could be no need for such a thing, could there? But the man had insisted, regardless, stating it was for the best that both sides were considered in this war.

And some part of Stone agreed with him. But he only considered it to be a minor threat.

Not a major one like his ally was insisting on.

 _ **I struggle to find my faith**_

 **私は自分の信仰を見つけるのに苦労します**

He entered the main lobby of his residence and headed up to the second story where he lived. As he did so, he handed the folder off to an aide with instructions to get the papers to the generals and chiefs of staff. His mind was locked onto the idea of getting sleep, but something told him to hold off. He wasn't sure why, but he hesitated.

And that hesitation led to the scenario underway.

He had no idea that right at that moment, LaRousse's radar was struggling to pick up what appeared to be Tailow on their screens. He had no idea that these were not Pokémon, but in reality were fully armed and loaded fighter jets, capable of evading even LaRousse's most advanced radar detection systems. Stone put a hand to his head and ran it through his hair once more as he rolled his shoulders. As he passed by the window of his residence, he looked out and spotted what appeared to be a few jets of blue exhaust pass by overhead. He briefly wondered what they were and if the Salamence jets were flying to intercept.

Sometimes wild Pokémon came close to the city perimeters, so the jets had to be on high alert for if and when they came.

The last thing he expected was to see one of the strange shapes fly past, exposing itself as not a Pokémon or even one of LaRousse's own fighter jets, but a sleek, black and purple-trimmed fighter jet that looked unlike anything he had ever seen. Especially with the glowing blue lines that pulsated from behind darkened glass.

 _ **As I'm slippin' from your arms**_

 **私はあなたの腕から滑りてるように**

The President's eyes went wide in shock as one of the unknown jets turned and blasted over the Presidential Building, rattling the windows and prompting the security forces to start taking action. One of the agents came up alongside and drew her gun, eyes fixed on the window as the air raid sirens started to wail in the city's streets. "Sir, we have to get you down to the shelter!" she remarked.

President Stone narrowed his eyes as he turned to look at her. He was about to open his mouth to protest when he suddenly was shoved to the ground as a large explosion tore open the windows, shattering it and sending some debris and rocks into the interior of the Building. He was caught off guard by the heat and fire, but thankfully the highly advanced sprinkler system kicked in and doused the flames, but soaking the people inside. He coughed to clear his throat and rubbed his head where he had smacked it when she shoved him to the ground. His security agent was down for the count, but not dead as she groaned. He figured she was probably concussed from the explosive force, and he grunted as he got to his feet.

A second agent arrived and started to escort him down to the shelter as the seven unknown jets began to zip around the city, targeting key points and opening up with their missiles and guns. Of course he was unaware that these missiles lacked the full HE complement, and that they were instructed to miss the targets they were aiming for. But that did little to disrupt the realism of this situation.

President Stone was guided down to the underground shelter, where he was given a full view of the situation from the monitors located throughout the city.

 _ **It's getting harder to stay awake**_

 **起きにくくなってきました**

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Thomas looked down a bit somber at the damage one of his fellow wingmen had caused with their Phoenix missile. The fire burning in the crater was enough to make him worry for the populace gathered around it, but then he noticed a few robots swarming out of the Presidential Building's automated fire defense system and water was sprayed onto the flames in five minutes flat. That did ease his concerns somewhat, which meant that lives lost would be kept to as few as possible. His heart began to pound as his radar suddenly chirped in his hearing and he shot his gaze to look at the screen, noting the red dots approaching from the east and west.

" _Arbok Lead, this is Arbok One! We got incoming bogies! I repeat! We have incoming bogies!_ " he radioed to the squad commander.

" _Arbok One, I copy. Bogies have been identified and are locked in. CPC is recommended for use only. No rounds, no AAMs or SAMs,_ " the major general ordered.

" _Roger. CPC only,_ " First Lieutenant Ingrid Grissom replied. She put her plane into an aileron roll to get into a line of fire and triggered the launch for the Aqua Tail rocket. " _Fox One_!"

" _Fox One launched_!" Captain Harold Sebowski reported as he too fired off a rocket. Thomas didn't do so, but he did notice that the jets launched their way were Salamence jets and his eyes hardened.

" _Those are Salamence jets_!" he reported.

" _We know, Major_ ," Lt. Grissom remarked dryly.

The rockets locked onto the two incoming F-25s and the pilots reacted by throwing up the EAPS on their planes. Thomas was mildly surprised at this, as he had seen the EAPS for them be used more than once during the invasion planning for Rustboro's liberation. So he kind of expected them to use those shields to deflect the brunt of the EMP blast from the CPC-21B warhead. The pulse wasn't as damaging due to only one warhead mounted in the Aqua Tails. So the city would suffer only minor blackouts throughout this test and exercise.

 _ **And my strength is fading fast**_

 **そして、私の強さは、高速フェージングされます**

The Salamence's energy shields took the brunt of the impact from the pulse, shutting down afterwards to recharge and the planes peeled away as one of the many laser defense turrets swung around and locked onto the incoming Night Slashes. But Major General Kane was one step ahead as she barked out an order to the team.

" _Scatter_!"

The seven planes vanished into the night sky as they split, the bright beams barely missing them.

* * *

 **Radar Station Control Room**

The control room was a madhouse as the technicians ran to and fro, trying to keep a lock on these seven intruders. While their radar was considered state-of-the-art by the rest of the HLC, it was completely inadequate to deal with the tracking and detecting of human-built stealth aircraft. The Night Slash so far was performing above its expected parameters, and it was remaining hidden and away from sight.

The captain in charge of the radar station known as Phobos, Captain Janus Young, narrowed his eyes as he scanned the radar screen, trying to pick out these newcomers. All he could really see were small blips as they appeared and vanished, evading detection for the most part. "What kind of invaders are we dealing with?" he wondered.

"Sir, visuals have got a lock on the unknown bogies!" an aide reported as she showed him the visual on the portable monitor she held.

Captain Young took it and looked at it, his green eyes hardening. "Damn! Stealth jets!" he snarled as one of the Night Slashes flashed over the radar station, unleashing a missile that exploded close by, making the structure shake. "Shit! Fuckers got in close!"

"We know, sir. We couldn't even pick them up on radar," the aide replied as she took the monitor back. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're trying to mock us..."

The captain's breath hitched and he hissed in anger, pounding the console he sat at with a fist. "I want any and all guns to lock onto those jets and try to bring them down! I don't care how it's done! Just do it!" he barked.

 _ **You breathe into me at last**_

 **あなたは最後で私に息します**

The aide nodded and ran off to get his orders out.

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Major Anderrson was surprised to see the SAMs of the city's defensive network coming online and targeting them.

His heart began to beat double time in his chest as he gripped the controls for his plane and suddenly spun the vehicle to the right, dodging one as it barely whizzed past the left wing. He was very tempted to just pull off the mission and go home, as he was not fully sure if he could even do this. But he had been called up for service a few months ago, and after passing his basic flight training, was assigned to the Ace Squadron. But that small part of him he was accustomed to listening to, that soldier within him, told him not to do it just yet.

A second salvo of SAMs came his way and he gritted his teeth, pressing the throttle forward and the plane leapt into supercruise, the powerful crystal-integrated turbine engines kicking into overdrive and releasing an energy pulse just as the missiles streaked into it. Five of them exploded prematurely, and three others spiraled out of control, two colliding and one slamming into the ground, its targeting computer completely scrambled and the detonator completely shot. He smirked a bit as he pulled to the right using his plane's thrust vectoring engines to great effect. He flipped his plane around in a barrel roll and was surprised to see the F-25s coming back around for another attack.

"Shit!" he swore as he put the plane into an Immelmann turn, followed shortly by a split S maneuver as the F-25 pilots engaged their 20mm Gatling guns, sending a hail of bullets right for his aircraft.

 _ **I'm awake I'm alive**_

 **私は生きている目を覚ましてよ**

The major barely dodged the bullets as they whizzed mere centimeters from the metal skin of the Night Slash. He armed his plane's 20mm M261 Gatling gun and prepared to fire as he came back around. This time, he was ready for them.

* * *

 **Presidential Building**

President Stone watched from below in the shelter, his eyes hard as the main monitors showed the situation outside the building. His hands were tented in front of his mouth as he observed with cool, calculating eyes. So far those unknown jets were proving to be a hard target to hit, as evidenced by the attacking LaRoussian Salamences failing to get in any hits. And the radar was unable to keep or even acquire a lock on them. It was as if they were specters, unable to be picked up or detected under any circumstances. One minute they were there, the next they were gone.

To be honest, those jets were unlike anything he had ever encountered. Sleek, fast, and stealthy... They had no means of detecting them, and they were far more advanced than what LaRousse could create and field. The mere thought of these jets being from a hostile faction made him shudder, and as he stared at the fight raging outside, memories from the meeting at Aurora a few weeks ago came to his mind.

- _Flashback_ -

 _"You're not serious," President Stone said as he stood in front of the warlord's desk, his eyes locked onto the other man._

 _Supreme Warlord Spray Krane was unfazed though as he studied his fellow leader and ally with serious brown eyes. He narrowed them a bit as he leaned forward on his hands a bit. "I'm dead serious, Steven," he said grimly. "There is the potential for human factions to rise up and threaten the future we both desire for the world."_

 _"But there's just no way it could happen," the President insisted. "I've seen footage and reports of humanity uniting against the likes of Ho-oh and Uxie."_

 _Spray's eyes hardened. "True, but that is only for the regions we know of in terms of their fates. Kanto, Johto, Unova, Kalos, Hoenn, Almia, Fiore, Oblivia, Sinnoh... All those regions are the ones that we know more about than the rest. We know their fates and what is going on there because of how much fighting takes place there. Ransei was spared the majority of the fighting against Pokémon because of our historic Link with them. The human factions that rose after the Week of Hell... Those are the kinds of foes I'm referring to," he explained. "Other regions may have suffered different fates, and some of them for all we know could've been overrun by Pokémon or even ruled by other humans seeking to make a mark on this post-apocalyptic world."_

 _ **Now I know what I believe inside**_

 **今、私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

 _"So what you're saying is that humanity may form factions, and some of them may be trying to dominate the world?" Steven asked._

 _Spray nodded seriously. "Yes. And that's why my forces are focusing on flexibility. Your forces, while advanced and well trained, are hindered by the fact that your tech is specialized for anti-Pokémon combat. Human combat is far different, and in some cases, may be even more lethal than Pokémon combat." His mind flashed back to the fighting during the Unification and the explosion of a nuclear warhead within the desert of Ransei; that had left over one hundred thousand humans dead on both sides, and he was still trying to coordinate the cleanup efforts._

 _President Stone snorted. "I still don't see why humanity would even splinter into factions during such a war."_

 _"Trust me. Not everyone is against Ho-oh, and some may even be taking advantage of the chaos to form despotic empires," Spray reminded him. "Remember the Order of Rangarok and your own little group of terrorists?" He arched an eyebrow as he smirked._

 _The former company president stiffened at that._

 _"Thought so," Spray said. "Just remember that without the ability to flexibly adapt to both human and Pokémon adversaries, you won't survive in a major war against one such faction."_

 _President Stone scowled as Spray stood and walked over to the window. He joined the warlord and both men stood overlooking the city of Auroros. Its gleaming skyscrapers stood out in stark contrast to what it had once been, and people traveled the streets either by car, bus, train, or bike. Every now and then an aircraft flew overhead and the Warriors that prowled the streets looking for any terrorists sometimes stopped to chat with the people and/or allied Pokémon that assisted them in the industries._

 _"Such a place... this is just a snippet of what we could be if this war wasn't going on," Spray said. "And those who defy the HLC... are holding us back and proving that big chicken right. That is why we fight. To create a better world for our future generations."_

- _End Flashback_ -

 _ **Now it's my time**_

 **今では私の時間です**

Was it... possible that these jets were being used by one such faction?

President Stone shuddered at the mere possibility and the realization that his ally was now right. There were humans out to kill...

And not just that.

It was possible that they were a group determined to rule over all survivors. And who knew what else?!

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

He had to get in contact with the Supreme Warlord once these attackers had been driven back.

The only question now was... how?

His mind raced before he suddenly remembered their top secret project. It was a big gamble, but it had to be done. He turned and grabbed the phone.

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Major Anderrson smirked as he flipped his plane into a tight loop, firing the Night Slash's gun at the incoming LaRoussian jets. Thankfully the projectiles loaded in were just blanks; but even so, they could still hurt or cause some damage. The blanks barely missed the Salamance and the pilot jerked away as he armed a Phoenix missile and fired it. The missile homed in on the plane and the LaRoussian pilot spun the aircraft around in a barrel roll before flaring the engines and speeding away, releasing chaff and flares as they did so.

The Ransian pilot growled in response to the tactic and dashed down low, the sleek frame of the black colored stealth jet blending in with the night sky if anyone dared to look up.

His eyes hardened as he looked at his radar, noting that his fellow wingmen were having a bit of an easier or harder time than he was, depending on where they were. He briefly wondered how the President would react to this situation, learning that his forces were not fully prepared for war against human factions as well. He brushed those thoughts aside though as he armed another missile and fired it, locking onto another incoming jet. The Salamence jet juked up into a Pugachev's Cobra and released flares so the missile would overshoot it.

He grimaced and swore under his breath.

This was gonna be harder than he thought.

 _ **I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life**_

 **これは私の人生である原因私は「私がやりたいですよ**

He gritted his teeth as he pushed the throttle forward in his fighter's cockpit, but only to half. The energy gauge on his control console was flashing as the blue energy bar dropped down a bit more; the last two pulses had drained the energy considerably, thereby forcing the jet to rely more on its fuel stores than the energy. The major looked back at the fighter planes coming in and his eyes hardened.

" _Arbok Lead, this is Arbok One. Starting to run low on energy. Will be at BINGO status shortly if I do another pulse run_!" he radioed.

" _Copy that, Arbok One_!" Major General Kane replied as she flashed overhead in her own plane. " _Just try not to get to that status_!"

" _Arbok One copies, Arbok Lead_!" Anderrson replied. He flipped his plane around and targeted another Salamence with the blanks in the Gatling gun. The other jet flipped around in a Chandelle maneuver, barely avoiding the pellets.

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Major General Yolei Kane scowled as she narrowed her brown eyes beneath her helmet's flight visor, studying the data readouts to great effect. The pilot shot a glance at the radar displayed on her console and she swore out loud as she juked her plane to the left, just barely avoiding the laser as it lanced past into the night sky. A few other lasers gave out their own calls, and she heard them, but didn't answer in the way they expected. She forced her plane into a loop, doing it as tight as she dared.

Black began to creep into her vision, but her training kicked in and she performed the breathing techniques to render the blackout null and void. Her vision grew hazy, but she brushed it aside as she finally was able to pull out of the loop. Her vision cleared and she shook her head briefly before she gunned it, but not to full speed. She didn't want to render the city's electrical grid useless; not like it even mattered since the grid was powered by the wind turbine farm not far from it. And the city did have a backup generator for such an event anyway; one that was heavily shielded, by the way.

She gripped the control stick in her gloved hands and pushed it forward, putting the plane into a dive. The Salamence pursuing her was surprised by the move and made to give chase, only for a few of her fellow wingmen to leap into the fray, gunning for it with the blanks in their Gatling guns. However, one of them also saw fit to use a Phoenix missile, and that prompted the plane's pilot to avoid it by using chaff.

 _ **Here (right here), right now (right now)**_

 **ここで（右ここでは）、今（今)**

As she flew around to give chase to the Salamance, she radioed to another of her wingmen, Captain Siegfried Lantz.

" _Arbok Four, this Arbok Lead. Arbok One is nearing BINGO status, and he needs to drop the flare. You need to provide him with cover_ ," she said.

" _Arbok Lead, this is Arbok Four. I read you loud and clear. I'll do my best, but I can't guarantee much of anything_ ," Lantz replied.

" _Just do your best, Arbok Four. Arbok Lead out_."

With that taken care of, Kane gritted her teeth and gunned it to half full speed. She only hoped the pulse didn't do much damage to the electronics below her.

 **I'll stand my ground and never back down**

 **私は地面に立って、決して戻ってダウンします**

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Captain Siegfried Lantz narrowed his intense blue eyes as he sped towards where Major Anderrson was having trouble. He could see some SAMs locking onto the other fighter, and he gritted his teeth as he punched it. He angled his plane down towards the ground and fired his gun, stitching a path towards the SAM stations and forcing the crews to abort the launches for fear of the missile pods being damaged. That was a smooth move on their part, and he smirked a bit. Yeah. Now things were getting good.

He wasn't much of a warrior, to be honest, but he was very protective of his friends and family back home and abroad. In fact, they were the primary reason why he was even in this mess to begin with. Sure he could hold his own in a fight, but in a dogfight, that was a whole other story. He tended to rely on hit-and-run tactics rather than all out fighting. And that had scored him some major victories against Flying-types and other factions such as the Order of Ragnarok; not that they were much of a threat anymore, but still they did tend to cause quite a bit of trouble. And that was why he had elected to become a Night Slash fighter pilot.

His eyes were hard like ice as he studied the radar, noting a few more incoming Salamence jets, each of them armed with UUM-7 micro-missile pods. The plane's pilot was no doubt gonna try to use the micro-missiles in an attempt to drive him off or inflict some damage, he mused. The idea was sound, but those kinds of missiles were more effective against Flying-types, not armored fighter jets.

He gripped the control stick and angled it a bit back towards him, and the plane climbed as the Salamance fired off its micro-missiles. He also took a chance to release some flares; the flares did the job to attract the missiles and they exploded behind him while a few exploded around his plane as he twirled the aircraft with the ease of a professional pilot.

 _ **I know what I believe inside**_

 **私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

Lantz gritted his teeth even as he smirked a bit, arming his Gatling gun and firing off a barrage of blanks at the plane, forcing it to dodge and fire off a barrage of bullets his way. But Lantz was one step ahead as he turned his plane into a perfect knife edge, flying between a few buildings and forcing the LaRoussian jet to back off. That gave him time to home in on the SAMs still targeting Anderrson.

He took the chance to release a few missiles from his payload, the pulses of the CPC doing their damage to the SAMs targeting computers and forcing a few missiles that had launched to careen wildly and explode either in midair or against the ground. That was his chance and he dropped down low, his plane barely skimming above the treetops. The SAM stations were no doubt having a hell of a time trying to keep tabs on him; the others were doing very well too, he noticed as one of his other wingmen dodged a blistering barrage of laser fire from one of the laser defense stations.

He radioed Anderrson.

" _Arbok One, this is Arbok Four. I have you in sight_!" he said.

 _ **I'm awake and I'm alive**_

 **私は目を覚ましだと私は生きています**

" _Arbok Four, this is Arbok One! Boy am I glad to see you! I still have to drop this damn flare and bug out before I get into BINGO status_!" Anderrson replied with relief in his voice.

" _Understood. I'll keep the SAMs off your ass! Just get to the building and do the job_!" Lantz shot back.

" _I wish I could, Arbok Four! They're on me like flies to a carcass_!" the major grunted.

" _Just go! I got ya covered_!" the captain replied.

" _Roger that, Arbok Four_!" Anderrson remarked as he flipped his plane and darted away from the SAM stations even as they kept a lock on him.

"Oh, no you don't!" Lantz muttered to himself as he darted up a bit more and put his plane into a tight turn, angling so the missiles he fired would miss, but cause enough smoke to blind their radar and sensors.

 _ **I'm at war with the world cause I**_

 **私は原因の世界との戦争によ**

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

The combat information center was a madhouse as the air wing commander gave out orders to the seven jets conducting the exercise. His eyes were hard as he turned to face the other person standing in the middle of the room, a headset adorning his head. "Sir, things are moving along," he said. "The flare has yet to be dropped though."

"That's fine," the Supreme Warlord said, his eyes hard. "This way they can see just how ineffective specialized aircraft can be, especially against human opponents. President Stone just doesn't grasp that there are indeed others out there who will take advantage of the chaos to establish themselves as rulers or something of that nature."

"But is it even wise to do such a thing to begin with?" Captain Sarah Bradford asked. "I mean, doing this without his knowledge. What if he actually shoots down one of the jets?"

"I've taken that into consideration," Spray remarked. "But trust me. Their weapons for combating aerial Pokémon aren't gonna do much against these jets."

 _ **Ain't never gonna sell my soul**_

 **私の魂を売るつもりはありませんされていません**

He was silent as the captain merely nodded and returned to her duties, giving orders to the crew and personnel of the massive vessel as she lurked well outside LaRoussian borders.

His mind was made up, she knew. He was intent on convincing Stone of the matter at hand, and he was going to do it. But what really mattered was making sure that this was done without any real losses.

The warlord was dead serious on this. Ever since the battles against the Order of Ragnarok and the near destruction of their nation at the hands of their damn Champions of Sin, Spray was focused on trying to fight two major adversaries at once, and he had insisted that all sixteen warlords, himself included among their number, be gearing the economy towards war against both human and Pokémon forces. Especially those who had dreams of world domination like the Order had.

She wasn't exactly sure if the policy was the right one, as they had to resort more and more to tactics and flexibility sometimes had limitations like with the Hydro Pump SPA lacking in heavier armor. But so far it was working, so who was she to complain?

 _ **I've already made up my mind**_

 **私はすでに私の心を行いました**

The warlord pressed a hand to his headset and turned to the captain. "Captain, bring up images on the main monitor," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," she said. She strode over to the console and pressed a few buttons before the main monitor flickered and displayed the images of the fighting. His eyes were narrowed as he watched the Night Slashes flit around, sometimes dodging or using their missiles, guns, or pulse runs to disrupt the Salamance jets. The laser defenses were proving to be the most troublesome, as they had no real need to reload and they could operate with limitless energy.

"Arbok Lead, this is RNS _Kusanagi_. What's up with the flare? Has it been dropped yet?" he asked.

"Kusanagi, _this is Arbok Lead. The flare's about to be dropped. Keep an eye out for it_!" the voice of the major replied.

Spray nodded, a smile crossing his face. "Good. As soon as that's done, head back to the ship."

" _Affirmative_!" The line cut out and he turned his attention back to the images on the main screen.

 _ **No matter what I can't be bought or sold**_

 **私が買ったか、売却することはできませんどのようなどんなに**

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Major Anderrson was relieved when he saw that the SAMs were distracted. He let out a sigh as a smile crossed his face before he became serious again and dove his plane down towards the ground. It wasn't that far up, but enough for people to be able to see the flare.

He passed close to the other buildings, weaving and dodging as a few Salamence jets and even a few Ninjask drones flittered into the fight. While not very numerous, their ability to flit and hover made them very agile. But even so, they couldn't catch the Night Slash. It was just too fast, and too hard to spot on radar or even hit. He had to admire their determination though.

Still, it didn't matter. His mission was almost complete.

His target came up on the HUD and he grinned. "Time to end this!" he remarked.

He was about to press the button on his console when his radar suddenly blared hot.

 _ **When my faith is getting weak**_

 **私の信仰が弱っているとき**

His eyes widened as the screen lit up with two red dots, each one coming fast towards them; much faster than he thought. He reacted by jerking the plane's control stick to the left and the Night Slash barrel rolled to the left, just barely missing getting nailed by the other incoming bogey. As his plane leveled out, he spotted the telltail afterburners blazing, and his eyes narrowed beneath his helmet. "Stealth jets!" he muttered.

He got on the line with his commander. " _Ma'am, we got stealth jets! Unknown make, but they're clearly faster than ours, and they may have weapons we know nothing about!_ "

" _Are they friendly or foe_?" Major General Kane asked.

" _Not sure, but their signals definitely read bogey_!" Anderrson reported. " _Unless we can keep them at bay, I can't drop the fuckin' flare_!"

 _ **And I feel like giving in**_

 **そして、私は中に与えるように感じます**

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

Spray's eyes were wide as he heard the news. He turned to face the captain. "Captain! What's this about stealth jets?" he demanded.

Captain Bradford looked at her CIC with a serious look in her eyes. "Unfortunately, I have no answer, sir," she admitted. "They appear to only have partial stealth compared with ours, but from what little I do know, LaRousse did have a classified project in the works. But that's all we know. It was highly classified, guarded by heavy firewalls."

Spray gritted his teeth as he narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "Patch me through to Major Anderrson!" he said.

"Yes, sir!" the captain replied. She turned to the comms officer and relayed the order.

The headset chirped as he pressed a hand to it. "Major Anderrson, can you read me?"

Only static greeted his hearing.

 _ **You breathe into me again**_

 **あなたは再び私に息します**

"Dammit!" Spray shouted as he punched the console.

"Can't get through?" Mike asked, his eyes narrowed.

"No," Spray muttered. "Jamming must be interfering with the radio waves." His mind was racing as he tried to consider what else could be jamming the radio waves. From what he knew, the Night Slash jet was equipped with its crystal turbines, and when it went supersonic, the pulse released scrambled the electronics; but the jets were shielded to prevent such things from happening. Unless maybe the effects were somehow scrambling up the waves themselves and not the electronics.

There was so much they didn't know about said energy, and it worried him. The energy from the Heart of Ransei was still being studied, and as it was, they hadn't even considered the possibility it might effect the radio waves emitted by the radio transmitters themselves. That alone was enough to make him consider the possibility that they might not be able to remain in communication for very long, if at all.

 _ **I'm awake I'm alive**_

 **私は生きている目を覚ましてよ**

' _Shit_...' he thought.

Spray turned back to the main monitor and studied the readouts of the data, and the two faster moving red dots that were the unknown jets. The other red dots were falling back, and that made him worry for his troops there. His eyes filled with worry and fear as he gripped the edges of the console. ' _If only I knew what kind of jets those were_...'

 _ **Now I know what I believe inside**_

 **今、私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

The major general's eyes narrowed as she eyed the incoming jets. Two of them, from the looks of things. They were just as sleek, and were painted black, but due to how fast they were moving, all she could see was a jet-shaped blur on her helmet's HUD. She scanned it a few times, getting a vague outline before she was forced to barrel roll to the side to avoid an incoming missile before she pulled out of the roll and did a knife edge between two buildings.

She was surprised though when the jet did the same thing, and she was forced to deploy the speed brakes to slow her jet so as to allow the other one to overshoot hers. Now that she was back in control of the fight, she flew at it, and kept it in her sights. She gritted her teeth and locked on with a Phoenix missile before she pulled the trigger. "Fox Three!" she muttered.

The Phoenix missile streaked away from her jet, and right for the unknown aircraft. A smirk crossed her face beneath her helmet. But before the missile could strike home, the EAPS shield that the LaRoussians were known for kicked into action, but unlike the others, this one was more transparent, and the missile exploded against it. The barrier was also stronger, she noted, as it hadn't gone down just yet.

"Damn!" she hissed.

 _ **Now it's my time**_

 **今では私の時間です**

The major general spun her plane around as the unknown jet swooped around, and gunned right for her. The last thing she expected though was for a laser to lance right by her plane, and the Night Slash's faceted skin seemed to shimmer with the passing heat. "Shit!" she swore. "The things have fuckin' lasers in them?!"

" _Ma'am! What the hell are those jets_?" Anderrson asked. " _They don't look like any kind of aircraft I have seen in my entire life! And they don't seem to have any kind of visible cockpit or glass canopy where it should be too!_ "

Kane attempted get a better view of the unknown aircraft who was chasing behind her. Effectively, it didn't had any visible cockpit on it, and its strange and streamlined shape made it look more like something coming straight out from a sci-fi movie or something else entirely out from this world rather than human made. For a brief moment, she thought that maybe the two mysterious aircraft were actually some kind of super advanced LaRoussian drones due the lack of a cockpit. But they were too big for being drones and she seemed to notice a series of strange glowing dots on where the pilot's cockpit should be.

"Are those sensors or cameras? Maybe their pilots are piloting them from the inside and watching through those dots?" Kane asked herself.

She put her plane into a fierce Split-S to avoid getting hit by another laser blast, this time the rudders barely getting nailed. "Shit, shit, shit, shit!" she shouted repeatedly. Her mind raced as she gunned it, noticing that the other one was heading right for Major Anderrson's location!

"No!" she yelled. "Get away!"

The Ransian fighter ace spun her plane around on its right wing before flying right for the unknown aircraft. Her eyes narrowed as the crosshairs in her helmet's HUD jiggled up and down, left and right before turning green. She fired, this time using her Gatling gun for targeting. The unknown plane's shield held against the assault before it went down, and her eyes narrowed a bit as a smirk crossed her face.

 _ **I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life**_

 **これは私の人生である原因私は「私がやりたいですよ**

The unknown aircraft though flipped around and flew right at her, and she gulped. "Oh, crap... what shithole did I get myself into?!" she wailed as she was forced to flip and dodge the bullets from the two planes, along with a few laser blasts from some kind of cannon mounted in the nose when a kind of "mouth" opened revealing it, she noted. She gritted her teeth as it closed up to avoid damage. ' _Smart_ _move_ ,' she thought, ' _hiding it in the nose. That way it can remain out of sight and damage. Perfect for sneak attacks_.'

Even though she was a decorated fighter ace, having scored a dozen kills against bandits and thugs in Fiore and Almia, as well as in Kanto against Pokémon working for Ho-oh and Uxie, she was no match for these planes. They were just too fast, and the pilots apparently had faster reaction time, which made her wonder if they were utilizing some kind of enhancement software or they had a new pilot system. She was forced to dodge a missile by releasing chaff and speeding down towards the rivers snaking towards the city center where the Battle Tower stood.

Her reflexes were good, but these guys were better; they were able to lock onto her and force her away from her wingman. And that was something she was not about to let happen in the future.

 _ **Here (right here), right now (right now)**_

 **ここで（右ここでは）、今（今)**

Major General Kane narrowed her eyes as she flew back towards the _Kusanagi_.

' _Damn... Those guys are good_...' she thought to herself.

As she flew down towards the aircraft carrier lurking just beyond the city's defensive radar range, she only hoped that her fellow wingmen could keep the jets occupied while Anderrson dropped the flare.

 _ **I'll stand my ground and never back down**_

 **私は地面に立って、決して戻ってダウンします**

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Captain Alexander Collins narrowed his eyes as he gripped the controls of his ADF-01 Altaria fighter jet, just barely managing to stay in control of the plane's flight path. That was the one downside to this new and amazing craft: it was still being worked on, and even though he was a highly decorated fighter ace with many hours in fixed-wing aircraft, he was still having trouble with it. It was only due to the Electro-Neuron-Synapse-Interface or ENSI which let him control his aircraft with his thoughts, that he was able to keep the plane on its flight path and give him and unmatched degree of control of it.

He spotted the six other jets, two of which were starting to form up on one of them, and the other three coming at him and his wingman, 1st Lieutenant Geoff Langston. The two men were close friends, and both had fought together side by side for over twenty years. And both were highly skilled pilots. So it made sense that they'd be chosen to fly the new jets.

And as for these newcomers, they were clearly something of a mystery, but very well armed and possessing a crystal pulse that rendered electronics useless to some degree. He wondered if the Ransians had been holding out on them for some reason regarding their own weaponry. And if he thought about it, it made sense considering how the larger nation had been talking about employing more stealthy aircraft like the Noivern or something.

 _ **I know what I believe inside**_

 **私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

His eyes were hard as he engaged the EAPS, the defenses taking the blow of an Aqua Tail rocket, armed with no doubt a CPC warhead as the sensors fluctuating indicated. It wasn't much of a surprise, as Ransei was known for employing these things against Psychic-types in other regions over the last week. His mind raced though as he spotted the incoming jets, all three. He didn't raise a hand to press the comm button; he merely had to speak to activate it. "Hey, Geoff? You hearing me?" he asked.

" _Loud and clear, old friend_ ," Geoff reported. " _We got incoming jets_?"

" _Three bogeys. All of them Ransian in make_ ," Alex said. " _Only thing is, what kind of jets are they_?"

" _Stealth from the looks of it. No doubt piloted by their aces_." Geoff's voice was dead serious as he said this. Although Alex couldn't blame him. He was a humorous man by nature, but this time his friend was not in the mood for joking.

 _ **I'm awake and I'm alive**_

 **私は目を覚ましだと私は生きています**

" _Okay. I get these three, and you go after the other three_?" Alex asked.

" _Reverse it and we'll call it even_ ," Geoff remarked with a smirk in his tone.

Alex nodded. "Roger that, old friend!" He cut the comm and the pilot triggered a mental command to put his plane into an aileron roll to avoid the incoming Aqua Tail rocket. It barely clipped his plane's wing. He grinned as he scanned his displays, noting the trajectory of the jets as they came at the two. The two of them were piloting their Altarias from the inside of an armored cockpit which instead of a glass canopy, had a series of hexagonal shaped displays that allowed them to see everything outside in a 360-degree angle thanks to the sixteen miniature cameras and sensors located on its surface. A cockpit system which along the ENSI was called by LaRousse the Connection for Flight Interface, or just COFFIN. He and Geoff split off, Alex going for the three jets circling the Capitol Building.

He had no idea what the Ransians were up to, but he was sure as hell not going down without a fight!

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

He gunned the engines and his plane seemed to leap forward, pushing him back into his cockpit a bit. His vision blurred, but relying on instinct and years of training and actual experience he was able to get his vision to clear and he narrowed his eyes. "Okay..." he muttered. "Here we go!"

He locked onto the fighters and launched a missile right for them, putting his plane into a roll with merely a thought as one of them came at him. This plane no doubt was piloted by a veteran pilot from the Old Days, as the reflexes could tell. A smirk crossed his face as he gripped the armrests and his fingers clenched on their sensor pads. The jet's advanced software and sensors could detect his increased heartrate and adrenaline levels, but that was irrelevant in the short term. All that mattered was trying to deter the Ransians from whatever their objective was.

The stealth jet he was fighting engaged its engines and a pulse of blue energy erupted from them, sending it out for a few hundred meters; he was away by the time it reached his location. He grinned to himself. "Nice try!" he remarked.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

His reaction time was good, the LaRoussian ace noted. The pilot was clearly skilled enough to match his fighter's reaction time, but only to a certain degree.

Either that or he was making up for the lack of reaction time with the ability to read the other pilot's movements. He had to give the man credit, though. Not many could match the Altaria's ENSI reaction time. It was damn near impossible unless they had years of fighter experience under their belt. His mind was racing as he tried to come up with a strategy to outwit this pilot.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

In the cockpit of the Night Slash though, Captain Harold Sebowski, a man of nearly seventy years of age but still in the armed forces not just due to his experience, but his legendary skills in the cockpit, was having a very hard time to even match this new jet. It was taking everything he had, all his skills, reflexes, and even his experience, to just match the reaction time on the turns. The firing he couldn't match, and nor the speed, but the turns were all he had.

It also helped that the Night Slash was better at cornering around buildings. He looked at the HUD on his helmet's visor and he gritted his teeth. "Shit... This damn bastard's really pushing me to the limit!" he hissed as he jerked his plane to the left, just dodging a laser blast from the cannon hidden in the nose. It was purely by luck that he had chosen to remain behind to guard Anderrson, who, for his own skill, was nothing compared to these guys.

The senior fighter ace's ice grey eyes hardened as he gripped the controls. He could feel the sweat running down his face, and he had to resist the urge to wipe it away; to let his thoughts wander was a very bad move during a dogfight. His experience and scars could attest to that. His reddish-silver mustache hid his gritted teeth and he felt sweat dripping into it; he made a brief mental note to shave before going into combat from here on out.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

He focused his mind back on his opponent and was surprised to find the plane gone.

"Dammit! Where'd that fucker get to?" he shouted, looking around.

His alarm bleeped at that point and, using his incredible reflexes, jerked his plane over into a tight series of rolls as the unknown jet sped by him, firing its Gatling gun. "Geez! Tryin' a sneak attack on me, bub? Bad move, kid!" the captain growled as he flicked the safeties for the Phoenix missile.

He had to get a lock on this guy and try to bring him down. But that was easier said than done at the moment. "Okay... Eat this, you little punk!" Harold sneered as he fired. The missile seemed to leap from its hardpoint and streaked for the incoming fighter, but the new jet seemed to dodge the projectile with ease and he burst out swearing as he flared the engines and angled them to allow for the thrust vectoring to angle the plane into a steep climb. The Night Slash's agility proved to be an asset this time around, just barely dodging the other plane's incoming bullets.

' _What_ _a clusterfuck we're in_!' Sebowski thought angrily as he put the Night Slash into a fierce Split S, followed closely by a knife edge between two buildings.

 _ **In the dark**_

 **暗闇で**

He shot a brief glance at the direction of Anderrson and the Capitol Building, and a small smirk crossed his face. The kid was safe for now, but who knew for how long?

* * *

 **LaRousse Airspace**

Anderrson was relieved that the captain had taken up the task of keeping that one jet busy. Now he could get the task of dropping the flare done. He dropped down low, speeding between buildings and homing in on his target. The crosshairs jiggled in his vision and his eyes hardened. "Okay! Here we go!" he muttered as he gripped the control stick in both hands. The energy meter on his console was beginning to drop into the red zone, and he knew he had one chance before he reached BINGO fuel state.

The Capitol Building was in his sights, and the crosshairs turned green. He kept his target locked in, and as he flew down, the second jet seemed to materialize from nowhere and homed in on his Night Slash. He shot a glance over to where his last three wingmen had been seen, and his heart sank as he saw their afterburners as they fled back to the Kusanagi. "Shit!" he moaned. "Now what?!"

Thankfully he didn't have long to worry, as he had backup in the form of First Lieutenant Ingrid Grissom, and while she may have been in her thirties, she was a hell of a pilot, having aced simulator tests in her youth since her dad was the owner of a flight school; ever since she was eight her dad had taught her the basics of flight and even bought an old simulator to train new students in: she aced them each time and even performed well in some real-time scenarios. So, she was as skilled as Sebowski, but the seventy year old fighter ace also had combat experience as well to back up his skills.

 **I can feel you in my sleep**

 **私は私の睡眠であなたを感じることができます**

The second Night Slash came screaming out of the darkness, firing its Gatling guns at the incoming LaRoussian jet and forcing it to peel off. Grissom spun the plane around in a complete 180 before gunning the throttle and using the crystal pulse to temporarily disrupt the sensors of the fighter jet attempting to shoot down Anderrson; it was highly likely these jets were shielded against such attacks, given the state of the world. And to be honest, Anderrson couldn't blame them. But at least he had two competent pilots to back him up, and he was not about to waste the chance he had been given!

He gripped the control stick in his hands and eyed the Capitol Building in front of him as it drew closer. His hand flicked out towards the button and pressed it as he practically felt the incoming enemy jets targeting his back. Sweat was pouring down his face in rivers, and he brushed it aside. He had to stay focused! The crystal in the slot hummed with his determination and the jet shuddered a bit with power.

Then just as quickly as it happened, the Night Slash rocketed over the Capitol Building and the green flare was released, exploding in a green ball of fire, slowly drifting down towards the roof. He let out a whoop of excitement and relief as he peeled away from there, doing a barrel roll in happiness.

 _ **In your arms I feel you breathe into me**_

 **あなたの腕の中で私はあなたが私に息を感じます**

Captain Sebowski smirked as he saw the green orb drifting down towards its target and he pressed home his advantage by flipping the Night Slash into a fierce Pugachev's Cobra to avoid being shot down. He also released chaff to distract the missile coming towards the engines of his plane. The missile exploded behind him and he took the chance to fly through the smoke, getting the jump on the other fighter and firing off a few Aqua Tails, the CPC warheads exploding against the tougher EAPS shield. The shield held, but the attack did force one to peel off to no doubt rethink their strategy and plan a new attack. But he was not gonna let it happen.

He gripped the throttle and pressed it forward, right up to its stops. The crystal integrated turbines also had one other ability: an overdrive function that drained the energy from the shards and injected it directly into the gas to act as a makeshift nitrous of sorts. He felt his body being pushed back by the sheer force of the Gs he was experiencing, but he didn't care. He drew on his years in the force and training to prevent himself from blacking out; it helped he still ran five miles a week and worked out at home when he had the chance.

The senior Ransian ace sensed the incoming jet approaching and he moved his plane to the left, slipping a wing underneath the jet's wing and with a flick of his controls, sent the other jet out of control; the move was designed to not cause the plane to crash, but to cause the pilot to focus on righting and getting out before he was crashed on the next one.

 _ **Forever hold this heart that I will give to you**_

 **永遠に私はあなたに与えるこの心を開催**

And within the cockpit of his Altaria, Alex was definitely caught off guard. But thankfully the fly-by-opto system that the jets used was able to compensate and with a thought combined with the light touch of a seasoned vet, he was able to right the jet and fly back, eyeing the situation below. He could easily see the green flare, and he pursed his lips.

 _'So, they weren't attacking after all..._ ' he mused. 'But _the flare thing... that's gonna leave a serious mark on our pride... Not to mention the President is gonna be pressed for words on this..._ '

He angled his jet and flew back towards the airport. He looked at the screens and his eyes narrowed as he spotted the three remaining Ransian jets speeding back towards their home ship; he suspected that one of their carriers was in the area. But as to which one, he had no idea. Still, that could be figured out later. Right now, they had to try and figure out what to do next.

 _ **Forever I will live for you**_

 **永遠に私はあなたのために生きます**

* * *

 **RNS _Kusanagi_**

Spray held his hands in front of his face as he studied the main monitor. He was half expecting to see what the results of the test would be, but the last few hours had been silent. Ever since the jets had returned, he was watching and waiting while the massive carrier patrolled the waters outside the city's radar range. His eyes narrowed and he was seriously considering getting the president on the line when the comms beeped and he pressed a hand to the headset he still wore.

" _SPRAY_!" Spray winced as he tore the headset away from his ears and rubbed them. He pried open an eye and replaced the headset when the voice came on again, this time with less fury, but still with the same amount of anger.

"Yes, President Stone?" he asked.

" _Do you realize what you've just done_?!" Stone roared. " _You just launched an unprovoked attack on my city_!"

Spray sighed as he pressed his hands to his forehead. He had been expecting this; it didn't make it any easier though.

 _ **I'm awake I'm alive**_

 **私は生きている目を覚ましてよ**

"Not exactly, Stone," he said. "The attack wasn't an attack at all. It was a test... designed to show you just how lacking your radar can be when it comes to dealing with human adversaries who might want to wipe us out. True, your technology does allow for that, but the point is that your military doctrines and training must be worked on. The radar network as well needs to be improved for allowing better detection _._ " He looked up at the main monitor now showing Steven's face.

"Although I gotta admit, you got the jump on us due to the jets you deployed," Spray admitted. "I was half expecting the test to fail at that point."

" _It still doesn't excuse what you did! Now I got people claiming that you betrayed us and that you are trying to flaunt your tech in our faces, and some of them even want to go to war with you! And that is the last thing we need right before a major operation, too_!" President Stone growled.

"Look. I understand why you're frustrated, but the truth of the matter is we needed to get our message across, and you needed to see that your doctrine of training for Pokémon attacks more than human attacks would lead to your possible demise. That is why we needed to work on that," Spray said seriously. His eyes narrowed. "That is why we had to do it."

 _ **Now I know what I believe inside**_

 **今、私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

Steven sighed, finally realizing what his ally was saying. " _Okay. I... I admit it. I hate to, but you do have a major point. I mean, your jets were just as good as ours, if not better in some respects_..."

"Yeah. But your jets nearly trounced our force," Spray noted. "That's something new. And for the record, what kind were they?"

" _Sorry, but that's classified. Just as your own secret weapons are, I assume,_ " Stone said seriously. " _But putting that aside, the whole flare thing got the entire city riled up. And some people are insisting that I declare war on you._ " He turned a bit and Spray pursed his lips at the angry crowd gathered outside the Presidential Building, some of them waving signs that showed Ransei being nuked.

"I can explain the reasoning behind the situation, if you feel it to help settle things down," Spray offered.

" _And pay any damages that the test caused_ ," Steven insisted, narrowing his eyes.

 _ **Now it's my time**_

 **今では私の時間です**

Spray nodded. "That's fine. We can help with that. And I see your point with that."

The LaRoussian President nodded and cut the line. Spray removed the headset and began to think. To be honest, Ransei did have enough resources and finances to be able to do such a thing, even if it was minor compared to the overall situation. His mind considered all possible situations and how much it may cost, and he set aside some money mentally for the wounded or damaged property. He looked at the captain. "Steer a course for home," he said. "I have some damages to compensate for."

Captain Bradford nodded. "Yes, sir!" she remarked, saluting. She radioed the bridge and within minutes the huge carrier was steaming for home at full speed.

* * *

 **17 February, 7 YDR**

 **Auroros**

 **Aurora Palace**

Spray sat at his desk, looking over the latest reports from his forces he had sent to help with the repairs and medical situations in LaRousse. He smiled a bit at the status of the teams and he placed a hand on the phone, pressing the button. The woman outside (she was in no way a secretary; the term had been discarded and replaced with security watch, although some duties such as filing and phone calls remained a part of the job description) was already with someone outside and he told her to send them away with a message to come back in a few days.

Once that was taken care of, he set the report down and turned back to face the TV, a news conference playing in the background.

"... _three days since Warlord Krane launched a surprise attack on our city, not to harm us intentionally, but to show us the need for stronger training in how to seriously deal with human adversaries for our pilots. While we are capable, the fact we have neglected that part of their training is what led us to this situation_ ," President Stone was explaining to an interviewer.

 _ **I'll do what I want 'cause this is my life**_

 **これは私の人生である原因私は「私がやりたいですよ**

" _What does Ransei really intend to do now_?" the man asked.

" _Ransei has offered to assist us in the repair of our city and the payment of medical bills for any wounded humans and Pokémon that may were injured in the test_ ," Steven said as he looked the man in the eyes. " _I know that this whole thing seems a bit much, but... I hate to admit that Warlord Krane was indeed serious about what he told me at that meeting several weeks back_."

" _And you don't have reason to suspect Ransei is turning against us with this act of aggression_?"

" _As I have stated in the previous hour, Ransei has in no way turned against us. They only wanted to show us that our current training regime for our pilots and military doctrine is anything but acceptable in the current world situation_ ," Steven repeated, his eyes hard. The interviewer frowned, but let the subject slide.

" _How do you plan to implement a new training regiment with the current operation coming up_?" a second reporter asked.

 _ **Here (right here), right now (right now)**_

 **ここで（右ここでは）、今（今)**

Stone turned to address her. " _To answer your question, the program will be initiated as we begin training more intensely as the operation draws closer. I know it's against all military recommendations at the current time, but this is the only way. Our lack of prioritizing human and Pokémon adversaries at the same time is what could cost us, so we need to start thinking about the coming future. Ransei has beaten us in that regard, and even_ they _admit that they cannot plan for every contingency, even though so far they have planned for almost everything_." His voice was hard as he continued speaking.

" _Frankly, now I can see why Warlord Krane has taken this kind of a threat seriously. And he's the only one so far who's been thinking realistically in terms of this new world situation. I guess all that paranoia fifty years ago about the end of days in Ransian culture really paid off in the long run_ ," he continued. Spray felt his eye twitch at that comment, but he brushed it aside. Actually, that last statement did hold a grain of truth to it; well, more like a rock of truth. Ransian culture had gone through such a phase, and even today it was _still_ considered a popular form of genre, and even inspired a series of subgenres that took place in post-apoc worlds, although it had died down somewhat from its original hype.

" _Regardless, the Ransians had the right idea, and we need to start taking into account the same thing. So our training programs will start to focus on both types of enemies in all military branches, and prioritizing fighter-vs-fighter dogfights in place of solely Pokémon-vs-fighter dogfights in case of the Air Force. But that doesn't mean our current training will be left to rust. It will take time, but we can and we will succeed in integrating both training regiments into one_ ," President Stone concluded.

 _ **I'll stand my ground and never back down**_

 **私は地面に立って、決して戻ってダウンします**

" _And what about the new region? Anything you can add about that?_ " the woman asked.

" _All I can say is that based on recent intelligence, the fighting there is going to be extremely brutal, and no doubt beyond anything we have encountered thus far_ ," Steven said seriously. Cameras flashed as he shifted at the podium in front of the Capitol Building. " _One of the enemies we'll be fighting has evolved from some kind of Parasect virus or parasite, so... we don't know much about it. Just that it evolved and came into existence some time after the Undampening began seven years ago. Its biology is unlike anything we've seen, but the good news is that it only seems to affect bug type Pokémon_."

" _What of the situation on the ground in terms of the civilians?_ " a third reporter asked, shoving his mike forward.

" _As for that, it's clear that the government has broken down, so the whole country is in chaos and local warlords have established themselves_ ," President Stone clarified. " _But that's all we know at the moment, and even_ Ransei _, despite having the advantage of_ spy satellites _in orbit, can't get any better intelligence. All they know is what I told you, but they do have a better idea of living conditions there, and they are far from good_..."

 _ **I know what I believe inside**_

 **私は内部の信じていることを知っています**

Spray pursed his lips and nodded at that statement. His country did have better intelligence on the living conditions there, and the populace wasn't doing any better than any of the other regions he knew of. Well, it could actually be considered worse than even Oblivia, and that place was a literal hellhole on Earth. He grasped one of the photos on a stack on his desk and pulled it off the top, studying it closely. This was the third time he had done so in the last week, and each time it still made him cringe.

Buildings were either ruined or left to rot as people fled the cities in caravans of bikes, cars, or even by train; most took to riding their Pokémon or fleeing on foot. The rivers were jammed with boats as well, further hampering traffic. Fires were burning in some locations, and thick smoke obscured most of the area. He had no idea as to what was really going on there; this photo was well over seven years old; only fifteen Ransian spy satellites in orbit at the time had somehow survived unscathed, but others were shot down or they crashed into the Earth's oceans over a period of time during the rebuilding of the region and during the war in the others.

He set the photo down and grabbed another, pulling it out from the stack and setting it down beside the old one: this one was more recent and displayed a bunch of villages, shanties, and people roaming around the area. The whole region was in worse shape than he remembered from recent observations. His latest reports from the scout teams showed that the ports were starting to recover, but under fierce warlord leadership, and it made things worse as they paid outrageous prices for his ships to dock there; he kept them out at sea for that very reason, rotating the ships every few months to allow the crews to get in some leave time on a nearby base established on an unoccupied island.

 _ **I'm awake and I'm alive**_

 **私は目を覚ましだと私は生きています**

" _When will the operation commence? Can you at least tell us that much?_ " the reporter asked President Stone.

" _Unfortunately, due to the need for secrecy, I cannot let that information slip. We need to keep the element of surprise_ ," he replied, his eyes hard. " _I'm sure that you're as curious as the rest of the populace, but that is top secret, and can only be shared with the parties involved, which includes our ally Ransei. Sorry_."

The reporter's face was filled with disappointment, but he knew when not to beat a dead Rapidash, so he let it go and walked off to rejoin his colleagues. Stone turned his attention back to the crowd.

" _As of right now, our priority is to get the troops prepared for the invasion date, and anyone willing to observe can tag along. But remember that this is under intense secrecy, so you are not allowed to spill anything. If you do, you will be removed from the media contingent that is going along_ ," Stone explained seriously.

Spray shut off the TV and set aside the photos, leaning over a geographical map of the country. It was a hell of a big one indeed. Many times more bigger than even Kanto, Johto, Hoenn or Sinnoh together. Even Ransei lacked in the size department.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

His eyes were hard as he pondered the tactical and strategic situation. The ports were clearly a no go; the warlords ruling them were the main reason why. The rivers were blocked with ruined boats, as marked by large squiggles; that made traveling by water to the inland parts a hazardous task. Small RHIBs might be able to make it, but that was a risky proposition, and until he had more information, it was out of the question.

It would be best to send in a small squad of GUNDAM Soldiers, but given the state of things, it was hard remain undetected. Especially since the warlords of the region were trying to cement their power bases. The fighting there was no doubt gonna be brutal, even by Ransei's standards. Spray ran a hand down the map to rest it on the beaches. Those were the only places for an invasion, and the lack of any harbors meant that they'd have to build and ship artificial harbors to the sites. That would take some time, and as it was, they didn't have much for getting things set up.

He placed his hand to his chin as he tried to think of any more possibilities, but every scenario he could comprehend only came back to one thing: the beaches. And many of them were under the control of bug-type Pokémon infected with that mysterious Parasect parasite if not by warlord forces. He looked up and sighed. "Well, this is it..."

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

He spent the next three hours going over the specifications his advisors had suggested for the harbors, and confirming them with the manufacturers already slated to build them. By the time he was done, a meeting had come up and he called in late. But the meeting was easy enough to handle: it dealt with the collaborative efforts of both Ransei and LaRousse on the naval front, and with the naval liaison attached to Ransei, they were able to clarify and confirm the ships needed for the bombardment. Spray of course insisted on the Kusanagi being the flagship of the invasion force.

While the LaRoussian naval officer assigned to confer with them protested, the choice was confirmed and a compromise was established in that the aircraft carrier would not participate in the initial bombardment, but in the follow up to the actual invasion itself. The warlord sighed as the meeting came to an end and he retreated to his living quarters for an early dinner. And during that time he visibly scanned the reports on the supplies, noting a few discrepancies and changing them as needed.

Once dinner was finished, he returned to his office and noted a message from one of his advisors on the state of the naval and air forces that were to support the operation. He read it over, and a small smile crossed his face. Things were looking good so far.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

Of course, there was the downside to all of this... especially concerning some recent developments that leaned towards a terrible possible scenario for him. Spray leaned back in his chair and turned it so he was looking out the window, his mind drifting back a few months to the first attacks his nation had pulled on Uxie's cloning labs. To be honest, he was a bit worried about what the Spirit of Knowledge would do to the Pokémon he had under his command, but what _really_ worried him was the potential for human adversaries to develop more formidable soldiers. Soldiers that could withstand Pokémon attacks, going toe to toe with them, or even fighting one on one with Pokémon and winning with only firearms or even their bare hands. Soldiers of superior skills and quality.

Otherwise known as supersoldiers.

 _ **Waking up waking up**_

 **目を覚ます目を覚まします**

He gritted his teeth and punched the desk, feeling the wood vibrating with the impact. The possibility of such soldiers was remote, but it could happen, he knew. That was his greatest nightmare in this world.

But just who would be able to create such soldiers? And _how_?

Deep down he was fearful that several of the warlords in the new region could possibly be developing such things, and he wanted to be as ready as possible for such a situation. He knew that his fear was irrational and that most people probably would not even consider such a thing, or even have the _resources_ in this day and age, but it was still there. And he knew it, despite the remoteness of the possibility.

He looked up at the sun starting to set on the horizon, and as it dipped beyond the buildings, he could see the lights coming on, and every so often he spotted the blue-white orb glistening like a secondary moon in the sky: the Heart of Ransei.

"Just what kind of world are we living in, and what will it come to...?" he muttered softly, gripping his crystal in one hand.

The small shard lit up briefly before fading and he released it, turning back to his desk and resuming his work.

His computer terminal beeped at that point and he turned in his seat, bringing it up and reading the email.

As he read it, he pursed his lips and frowned. "So _that's_ it..." His eyes hardened as he brought up a new email box and linked it to his closest friends and advisors. He had to get them together for a meeting. The recent intelligence on the new region's situation was a lot worse than he had anticipated...

* * *

 **BINGO - minimum amount of fuel needed to return to base**

 **Pulse run - when a Ransian Night Slash stealth fighter uses its crystal pulse to scramble enemy electronics**

 **RHIB - Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat - Uses include work boats (supporting shore facilities or larger ships) in trades that operate on the water, military craft, where they are used in patrol roles and to transport troops between vessels or ashore, and lifeboats**

 **Yo! :) Hey, my peeps~! Here's a new chapter for the Military Files! :) So don't forget to read and review! :) And once again, Janus and I are working together on this as our two factions are close allies, considering their technological level, assets, and ideological similarities. But, not all alliances start out as smoothly. They are rocky, and both sides may have their own agendas. Still, these two nations could be considered as friendly as they could be due to the circumstances. And yes, there will be some human factions with goals other than bringing down Uxie and Ho-oh. As to who, that is for later stories. Some of them may even be after more sinister goals, and they will not be friendly to the HLC to some degree. So, keep your eyes peeled for future chapters from both of us, and Cornova, as well, who graciously allowed me to be a part of this community! :)**

 **Ja ne!**


	13. Gyrados-class Destroyer

**File # 012**

 **'Gyrados'-class destroyer**

 **Type:** guided missile destroyer (DDG)

 **Lead ship:** RNS _Gyrados Giant_

 **Ships in class:** _Gyrados Heart, Gyrados Rage, Gyrados Fury, Gyrados Fang,_ and many others (class total is 62 with fifty three more in various stages of construction and twenty more on order)

 **Displacement:** 9,200 t

 **Length:** 155 m

 **Beam:** 20 m

 **Draft:** 9.3 m

 **Powerplant:** 4 x General Electric LM2500 Gas turbines

 **Speed:** 30+ knots

 **Range:** 8100 km at 20 knots

 **Crew:** 323 total (23 officers, 300 enlisted)

 **Sensors and processing systems:**

AN/SPY-1D 3D Radar

AN/SPS-67(V)2 Surface Search radar

AN/SPS-73(V)12 Surface Search Radar

AN/SPG-62 Fire Control Radar

AN/SQS-53C Sonar Array

AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar

AN/SQQ-28 LAMPS III Shipboard System

 **Armament:**

 _Missiles -_

132-cell VLS

\- Extremespeed cruise missile

\- RIM-252 Standard missile

\- Evolved Sea Spearow missile - packed four per cell

\- RUM-139 Vertical Launch ASROC

\- RIM-174A Standard ERAM

 _Gun -_

1 × 5-inch (127-mm)/54 Mk-45 Mod 1/2 (lightweight gun) (DDG-212 to -250)

or 1 × 5-inch (127-mm)/62 Mk-45 mod 4 (lightweight gun) (DDG-251 onwards) 2 × (DDG-212 to -250)

or 1 × (DDG-251 onwards) 20 mm Phalanx CIWS 2 × 25 mm M475 Bushmaster cannons

 _Torpedoes -_

2 × Mark 32 triple torpedo tubes

 **Aircraft carried:** 2 x Wingull Helicopters

* * *

 **NOTES**

In the aftermath of the Undampening, the naval forces of Ransei grew in power, becoming not just small clusters of ships under a warlord's command, but a very competent, well drilled and organized naval fleet under the command of the Supreme Warlord. Ships of many different types, ranging from oilers to supply ships, have been constructed, and each one has its own story to tell. But none are as formidable or well known as the _Kusanagi_ -class aircraft carriers.

Yet out of the smaller ships such as destroyers, the _Gyrados_ -class stands out as the most enduring and strongest.

The Gyrados-class destroyer got its name when the lead ship of the class engaged a giant Gyrados during its shakedown cruise and testing of its weapons systems. The beast put up one hell of a fight, but the ship was able to kill the Pokémon with several shots from its five-inch gun. The ship became known as the Gyrados Giant as a nickname initially, but since the ship wasn't officially commissioned, the Supreme Warlord commissioned it with its nickname becoming the vessel's official name. The _Gyrados_ -class destroyers are built around the VLS system pioneered by LaRousse, and adapted by Ransei.

The missiles it carries range from the Extremespeed to more older, proven missiles such as the Evolved Sea Spearow missile, which is derived from its older, but less reliable predecessor. The missile cells can be packed with a variety of missiles based on mission parameters, equipped with warheads ranging from conventional to HE to CPCs, or even nuclear warheads. The cells provide the ship with its primary weapon, but in the event of missiles running out, the ships are also outfitted with guns to protect themselves, and torpedoes to sink enemy subs or ships. Aircraft also provide recon and assistance in attack if needed.

However, unlike most Ransian vehicles, the ship's engines are standard diesel. This necessitates the presence of oil refineries or even oiler ships to resupply the fuel the destroyers need. This also means that the destroyers have to be a part of the battle group, or carrier group, to act in defense of the aircraft carrier should the need arise. The ships are multipurpose, so they can take action in many roles, which consist of anti-Pokémon warfare, anti-aircraft warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and strategic land strikes. This allows for flexibility, in keeping with Ransian military doctrine, meaning these ships can handle both human and Pokémon adversaries. The flexibility also comes with the added benefit of the ships having been built for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical warfare in mind in the form of a robust and reliable air filtration system designed to keep contaminated air out and filtered air in. No one has actively tested this capability yet, although it has proven useful in small scale tests and computer simulations.

To aid in its concealment, the ships of the _Gyrados_ -class possess angled rather than straight lines, making them harder to detect by anti-ship missiles. As an added countermeasure, to prevent Pokémon from getting a lock on it and sinking it, the ships are all painted in slate blue and lighter blues to better blend in with their surroundings or to disrupt the visual profile. In practice, it has worked with a degree of success against some Water-types; Tentacruel and Gyrados in particular have a hard time trying to find them.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Hell of a ship. Wasn't expecting this thing to take down a giant Gyrados!" - Captain Neils Attica, RNS _Gyrados Giant_

"Ships like those are hard pressed to be put into service. But I have to admit that without them, the chances of successful convoy routes would be less than what they are now." - Petty Officer Third Class Jenkins Winston, RNS _Kusanagi_

"Guided missile destroyers VS Gyrados? An uneven fight, really. But hey. What happened in the past happened in the past." - Ensign Lara Craft, RNS _Gyrados Heart_

"Hey, Kaminko! You try developing a ship before?" - Daniel Liston, Aurora Shipyard Administrator

"The engines on these things need gas, but hey. You gotta deal with it. The firepower more than makes up for it." - Chief Petty Officer Kenny Randal, RNS _Gyrados Fury_

"The stealth techniques on these ships are great. And that NBC protection really comes in handy when entering contaminated areas. Muk and Grimer fumes are toxic as hell." - Commander Jet Wang, RNS _Gyrados Fang_

* * *

 **24 March, 7 YDR**

 **Oblivia**

 **Sophian Island Coast**

 **1845 hours**

The setting sun beat down on the hot desert island, the ruins of the Aqua Resort battered by the sandstorms and salt water that continued to eat away at its structure. Only four days had passed since intelligence had been gathered on the basic situation on the islands, and it only seemed to get worse. Now there were clans and gangs roaming the landscape, and Captain Neils Attica frowned at the images their helo was sending back via wireless communications.

He ran a hand through his thick reddish blonde hair and narrowed his hazel eyes as he studied the images. The monitor he was viewing showed that the camps had become slightly more industrialized and a few defenses were taking shape, and of course, he could see that the nomadic clans were roaming the island's landscape, and offshore a ways, there patrolled a few ships that looked as if they had been built with spare parts, the thick smoke coming from their stacks indicating that they were burning either coal or oil. Some even had paint peeling from their structures.

He pursed his lips as he studied the large building under construction further beyond the ruins of Aqua Resort. He wondered what it was, but he didn't want to risk sending an expedition ashore for fear of the men and women getting captured. He shifted in his seat a bit and raised his hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead; he currently had his hat removed and wore a short-sleeved version of the Ransian captain's uniform; the heat was intense, even in the air-conditioning of the ship.

His PokéGauntlet chirped at that moment and he lowered his hand, noting the email icon was flashing. He frowned a bit as he opened up the email and read the contents. Captain Attica pursed his lips as he closed the email and turned to face his second in command, Rey Ze Bel. The older man had long blonde hair he kept back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck and his eyes were a sharp blue color, accenting the crystal around his neck. Neils grasped his own crystal in one hand and shifted before he spoke.

"Well, we got our orders," he reported.

Rey's eyes widened a fraction as he turned to face the captain. "Orders from FLEETCOM?" he asked.

Captain Attica nodded. "Yeah." He fiddled with his PokéGauntlet a bit before it beeped and he lowered his arms. "Orders are to scout out that structure under construction."

Rey's eyes flew wide as he heard that. "But haven't you forgotten what nearly happened to the Noivern?!" he blurted.

"Orders are orders, Rey. I don't like it either, but that's why we're not gonna be sending our land teams," Attica said as he folded his arms. "Remember the LaRoussians offered us some of their Ninjask drones?" He cocked an eyebrow as he said this.

"Still, that means we will have to send in a land team," Rey pointed out. "We can't just control the drones from the ship."

"Not necessarily," the captain stated. "Their range is 100 kilometers, so we'll be able to get a small team in via RHIB and they can anchor close to the rocks to avoid detection." He looked at the bridge team as they began to assemble around him. "The RHIB teams will each have one drone controller while some of our land team soldiers act as cover for them. In effect, the mission is to protect the drone controllers until the mission is complete."

"But sir, where are we gonna put the teams close to the rocks? Those ships out there will spot them and be on their asses faster than a Ninjask!" one of the other sailors pointed out.

"I'm well aware of that, Jenn," Captain Attica remarked. "So the _Gyrados Giant_ will be covering the RHIBs."

Everyone looked at him like he was nuts.

"Sir, sorry to protest, but that's suicidal!" Lieutenant Jenn Harris blurted. "We're just one ship! And those guys out there are more heavily armed! Not to mention they have the numbers on their side!"

"Which is why we're fighting using strategy, and not force," Attica replied. He stood and headed over to the table off to the side. He grabbed a cord and pulled it out before opening a port on his PokéGauntlet and jacked it in. He brought up the GPS function and homed in on the island as the table lit up with the map. "Here's our position..."

* * *

 **Coast of Sophian Island**

 **2130 hours**

"Dammit! Why did I have to get assigned this job?" Lieutenant Harris grumbled as she shifted in her seat on board the RHIB. She shot a glance at the drone control module nestled beside her. The wind tore at her face as she hunched down, her helmet acting as a barrier to some degree, but it wasn't enough to prevent her from getting slightly drenched. She held the sides of the RHIB tightly as the small vessel bounced over the waves, its motor roaring and the group huddled closer together. The team she was with had three other members, and each of them was highly trained to do their job.

Of course, that didn't mean she wasn't a crack shot herself. Her only problem was that she was a skilled electronics specialist, and as a result, she was assigned the task of acting as controller for the Ninjask attack drone.

The leader of her team, Lieutenant Gerow Ramachi, shot a glance back at her as he steered the RHIB behind one of the steampunkish vessels, barely avoiding the lookout as he scanned the horizon with his binoculars. The big man angled the RHIB towards the shore, heading right for the ruins of Aqua Resort, and slipping behind a corroding cruise liner. The small boat looked like an insect compared to the rusting hulk.

He finally cut the engine and the anchor was dropped. He then turned to face her fully. "Okay, Lt. Harris. It's all yours."

Harris nodded as she inched closer and opened up the control box. The interior of it consisted of a joystick with a trigger for firing the 7.62 mm machine gun on the front and a monitor to receive footage of both still and video feeds. The box also held a USB port so raw footage could be transferred to a flash drive for future reference or viewing. Ramachi inserted a USB into the port and as soon as the lieutenant keyed in the command, the small drone whirred to life and lifted out of its container.

The mission was underway.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

Captain Attica watched in relief as the two RHIBs slipped behind cover. Now that they were safe, all he had to do was keep those steampunk-like ships from taking notice of the intruders.

And that was going to be a lot easier said than done considering that they were taking patrol routes that could possibly lead to the teams getting spotted.

But he sure as hell was not gonna let the fuckers find them without a fight!

 _ **The further we are apart, the nearer I feel you are.**_

 **さらに我々は、離れて、私はあなたが感じる近いです。**

He took his seat in the commander's chair and placed his hat back on his head. He looked up and the sun dipped below the horizon as further out stormy clouds began to brew. His eyes narrowed and he grasped the arm rests with his hands tightly. He did notice one of the ships making a move towards them, its guns swinging around to deal with the lone destroyer. His eyes were hard as he recalled the very systems on board the vessel. He knew each and every one, having tested them several times and drilling the crew through their use and application.

His thoughts were interrupted as his radar operator snapped out a warning. "Sir, the enemy ship is on the move!"

"Anything else?" he asked, sensing the panic rising in her voice.

"Yes. We... There are three large Gyrados in the area!" she cried. "And they're gonna surface!"

"Shit!" Attica yelled. He grabbed the comm speaker and began barking into it. "Attention all hands! This is the captain! Go to general quarters! Set GQ throughout the ship and get to your battle stations! We have not just enemy ships coming after us, but also Gyrados lurking beneath the waves! All personnel are to get to their battle stations and assume general quarters!"

As his words rang throughout the ship, footsteps hurried back and forth to get to their assigned stations.

 _ **Even my loneliness turns into strength... when I think of you.**_

 **私はあなたのことを考えるときにも、私の孤独は...強さに変わります。**

The ship's sirens and klaxons began to wail as the large ship suddenly opened fire, sending a series of rounds their way. Attica barked an order to the helmsman. "Right full rudder hard!" he barked.

"Aye, sir!" the helmsman yelled as she wrenched the ship's rudder to the right, putting the ship into an extremely tight turn.

The _Gyrados_ -class destroyers were a very unique ship due to a very interesting little quirk they had: they could turn their rudders to sharper angles, putting them in a class all their own. The ability to turn tighter than most ships saved them more than once, and also allowed them to get the jump on several pirate and bandit ships that sailed the seas. While it was risky to turn the ship at such harsh angles at full speed, the ships were much more stable than even the designers had calculated. That was what made these ships so formidable.

And as it was, the tight turn spared the ship any real damage; all that happened was the decks and personnel outside got soaked from the falling seawater.

Attica smirked as the other ship aimed its guns and tried to get a lock on the speeding destroyer. The Ransian warship's five inch gun turned and belched out a shell, hitting the enemy warship right in the hull. The armor took the brunt of the blow, but it did open up a small crack and a second shell breached it. The gun's shell struck the ammo magazine and the steam-powered warship exploded in a fiery ball.

 _ **In a town where streets, people and dreams change,**_

 **時間通り、人と夢の変化では、**

His eyes hardened as he spotted a few other ships coming their way. "Okay... I just hope we can get through this okay..." he muttered.

* * *

 **Aqua Resort Ruins**

The drone was now airborne and it flitted through the destroyed resort, passing by the greenery-covered buildings. Its camera pivoted every so often, peering into the destroyed or cracked windows. The blades whirred as it flittered past a crumbling hotel before coming to a stop. Its controller had removed its manual override at this moment, but its programming did dictate it was to scout out ahead. So without as much as a hesitation it darted into the area to scan for any hostile targets and to gather data on the unknown structure out back of the resort's ruins.

The Ninjask, as fast and agile as its counterpart, moved into one of the buildings and scanned the decaying environment. The video camera shot video footage, beaming it back to the control box and storing it on the 64 gigabyte flash drive. The drone had no concept of the emotional impact this was conveying to the humans at its controls. It merely shot the video before moving deeper into the decaying structure. The machine gun on its front kept angling in cold mechanical anticipation of an enemy unit or force lurking in the brush or fabric dangling from the ceiling or walls.

The small machine constantly scanned its surroundings, and as it moved deeper within, it hesitated, its cameras picking up an unknown target. The drone quickly pivoted its machine gun around and with a few shots, took out the mysterious adversary. It moved in closer, cataloging it for its organic masters to view. It was a small creature, about the size of a human child, and it looked like one. A small gun lay beside one appendage, and the drone shot a still photo before flittering around and examining the creature's death shots. Without as much as a sound, it flew off, leaving the creature dying.

The drone had no computing power to even grasp the concept of a child's death.

But its organic masters did.

The drone exited the building through another window and emerged into the ruined square of the resort.

 _ **I could only oppose them.**_

 **私は彼らに反対する可能性があります。**

* * *

 **Battle space**

Captain Attica growled as he felt the _Gyrados Giant_ shudder under the assaults he was receiving from all sides. The ship seemed to groan and growl under the stress, and the very engines seemed to pulsate as electricity flowed through the systems and conduits within the ship's hull like veins. He was grateful that the honey-comb armor was proving its worth; he hadn't been sure if it would work or not. His eyes were hard as he looked to the ship's left and noticed one of the ships coming in closer to deal a blow to the bow point blank.

Even though the honeycomb armor could take it and the ship wouldn't sink, there was still a chance it could penetrate a weak point, and that they did not want to take a chance on. So he did the first thing that came to his mind.

"All engines back now!" he barked.

The helmsman grabbed the throttle and reversed the engines, causing the bow to dig into the water as the enemy ship opened up on them. The shell missed the bow, but slammed into the bridge as a result and the entire vessel shuddered from the impact. The bridge crew was jostled and some loose objects went rolling or shattered on the floor; they could clean up later.

His eyes were hard as he stared down the enemy vessel. "Fire the five-incher!" he said.

"Aye, sir!" the TAO responded.

Captain Attica shifted as the gun fired and his mind drifted back to the reason he was even out here to begin with. He offered to even go on this mission to begin with because he had a sister who lived in Oblivia and he had last heard from her prior to the Undampening. He was worried about her, and his older sister needed him now. Especially since things were as bad as they were. And he needed to be there for her, like she had been for him when he was younger. He remembered her soft smile, her loving gaze, and her gentle voice calming him when he hurt himself during his antics as a child. But most of all, he remembered her sweet and motherly personality.

He just hoped that they were not too late to try and save some of the people in that hellhole.

 _ **I still did not realize,**_

 **私はまだ気づいていませんでした、**

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

The drone made its way through the remains, stopping at a nearby hotel that was partially collapsed and it slipped inside through a hole in the wall. The camera clicked a few times, snapping some stills before moving on through to the other side.

And right into a slave camp.

The drone came to a halt, something within its electronic brain stirring. Now the drones were not programmed to be sentient, let alone feel emotions. Their processors were not meant for that. And yet, something was telling the drone, something not of its programming, to take video and send it back. The scene of such brutality, the beating of slaves, the rape of the women, the beheadings of rebellious slaves... It was brutal to the utmost degree. And the drone's human masters felt such rage and fury it seemed to transmit back to the drone.

The machine seemed to shiver with repressed fury before it flittered into the shadows, a new directive coming into play. This new directive was programmed in by one of the technicians on board the _Gyrados Giant_ , and the drone executed it with cold precision. The directive: to gain intelligence and try to see if anyone the crew knew was there. As it hovered in the darkness, its cameras whirred and quietly shot the video, matching what photographs had been programmed into its databanks. It matched up a few photos and marked the people as priority number ones, or those needing to be rescued.

The drone's processor cataloged the slaves and matched them to the descriptions the crew had programmed into it and flittered away, scanning the area for any threats to the slaves' wellbeing.

The drone flew overhead, just barely skimming the top of one of the guards' heads. The whirring of its blades caught his attention and the man looked up, his good eye narrowing in disgust and rage. He brought up his M15 "Bronzong" assault rifle and fired, barely missing the Ninjask as it flittered to the side, battle programs kicking in and the M242 7.62mm machine gun mounted on its underside spitting out a few rounds. The drone's bullets struck the man in his shoulders and right arm, the shots catching the attention of the other guards. The Ninjask was not a battle drone. It was a scout drone, and even though it was armed, it was light and its armor was not that thick. So a subroutine ran through its processors before it flitted into the shadows and out of sight to avoid being shot down.

Once out of sight, the drone settled down close to the ground to beam back what information it had gathered so far.

 _ **That there are things that can't be conveyed even with words.**_

 **でも、言葉で伝えることができませんものがあること。**

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

Lt. Harris narrowed her eyes as she studied the data beamed back to her via wireless communications. Her entire body was filled with fury at the sight of the slaves and the brutal, subhuman conditions in which they lived. She gripped the edges of the control box, swearing she felt the tough plastic casing yielding under her fingers. "Damn dickheads!" she muttered. "Those lumps of shit are going too far!"

Lt. Ramachi was silent as he stared at the horrific scenes. He had expected to see brutal stuff, but this... This really took the cake, and in more ways than one. He merely scowled before speaking. "Seems like we were right to use the _Max Fury_ movies as part of our training program..." he muttered, recalling the decision to use the movie franchise as a key part on how to deal with possible post-apocalyptic scenarios. While it was considered controversial by some, among them the movie industry, the Supreme Warlord's choice was not contested in this regard as it did provide their soldiers with more of an idea on how the society of Oblivia worked in the post-Undampening world.

He called up the data that the drone had sent back on the slaves, and he scanned through each one, trying to see if there were any faces he recognized; his parents lived in Oblivia prior to the Undampening, and he wasn't hopeful they survived or not. As he stared at the screen, his heart sank and he sighed. "No sign of my mum or dad..." he muttered.

Harris was dead silent as she gripped her crystal, feeling the anger building within her chest and making the small shard pulsate, drawing on it and sending it back to the Heart of Ransei. She hated this. This entire war... and how it seemed to bring out the worst in people. Before this, Oblivia had been a kind, decent place with people who weren't afraid to be hospitable towards newcomers and tourists. But now, it seemed like the whole region had done a total 180, flipping upside down and becoming a wasteland of barbarians and scavengers.

 _ **My lost dreams of wanting to hold you by my side,**_

 **私の側であなたを保持したいの私の失われた夢、**

What really surprised her though was the fact that Ransei, which was a region consisting of sixteen different kingdoms, didn't splinter, but rather unified under one ruler for the course of the war. In fact, when the Undampening first occurred, she had half expected the region to nuke itself into oblivion from all of the fighting. But they hadn't, and it was nothing short of a miracle in her eyes.

Still, she brushed it aside and turned her gaze back to the monitor; the drone was on the move again.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

The battle was not exactly going in their favor, but then again, it wasn't in the favor of their enemies, either, Captain Attica mused as his ship shuddered under an onslaught from the other ships. The destroyer was tougher than they thought, and his ship had already sunk two of the steampunk-like vessels as they sailed around him. The fighting was also complicated by the fact that his ship had to rely more on agility and speed to avoid the two Gyrados that surfaced right in the middle of the battle.

It did help though in that they were at least able to focus on the steampunk ships as they struggled against the beasts. And it gave the enemy a nastier foe to worry about, something Attica was taking advantage of. "Okay! Launch several Extremespeed missiles at the closest ship!" Attica barked.

"Aye, sir! Birds on kill tracks 3-0-2-5, 3-0-2-6, 3-0-2-7, 3-0-2-8, and 3-0-2-9, salvo size four!" TAO Barker announced.

"Kill tracks 3-0-2-5, 3-0-2-6, 3-0-2-7, 3-0-2-8, and 3-0-2-9!"

"Salvo size: four!"

"Birds away!"

The four VLS cells opened up and the gleaming missiles fired from the cells, rocketing up and out into the air. One of them homed in on the Gyrados that was about to fire on them and the other three struck the steampunk-like ship, the CPC-21B warhead mounted in one frying the electronics and the other two exploding with conventional HE warheads. The last missile exploded right against the Gyrados' back, causing the beast to roar in pain and agony as a Hyper Beam launched skyward.

 _ **For them, you said, "Don't give up!"**_

 **彼らにとって、あなたは「あきらめてはいけない！」と言っ**

"I need two fish in the water! Ship to port, and fire!" Attica snapped.

The TAO nodded and relayed the order. Attica only hoped the drone teams were doing a lot better at this.

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

The Ninjask, like its namesake, buzzed through the debris-filled streets, finally arriving at the edge of the resort's remains. It hovered there for a moment before it calculated the range and time it would take to get back before its batteries ran out. The small drone, having made its choice, flittered towards the large structure in the distance. Thankfully it wasn't very far, which meant it was within the range of the drone's flight radius.

It covered the distance in fifteen minutes, reaching the exterior of the structure and spotting men working on its construction. All of the men wore only short sleeves and/or vests over bare skin, and none of them wore hardhats, a clear violation of construction codes and building regulations. The drone paid no attention to this and flittered around, taking still and video feed. The building, its human masters later discovered, was a weapons factory being built for the dictator to use to manufacture nuclear bombs. Of course, they weren't entirely sure if this claim was true or not.

 _ **The further we are apart, the nearer I feel you are.**_

 **さらに我々は、離れて、私はあなたが感じる近いです。**

The small scout drone flew in closer, taking care to avoid being spotted as its directive stated. The cameras whirred softly and the drone's gun pivoted in case it was spotted, but thankfully the night sky concealed it from view. The Ninjask drifted to the side, scanning over and marking the materials being used on its hard drives as hazardous material for bombs. It showed no emotion, but the horror and shock was felt by its human handlers. And somewhere inside the drone's processor, a small worm called dread niggled as well.

The drone hovered over to a small platform and gently landed so as to not attract attention. Or as close as one could dare to get within this large facility. The drone waited until the watch guard it spotted passed by and then it lifted off, fluttering over to where the man in charge of the construction was barking out orders and commands. The drone's programming forbade it from attacking, but the courses of action presented to the drone held some prospects for tactical and strategic advantages.

So, after computing the consequences of both, the drone aimed its gun and with a well placed shot, nailed the foreman right in the gut. The shot was muffled by the whine and whirring of engines and winches, but the results were not unnoticed. The foreman went down with a cry of pain, his hands flying for the gunshot wound now visible in his protruding stomach. He collapsed onto his back, his face contorted with pain and agony. He gritted his teeth against it, but it was no use. He would die if he didn't get the help he needed.

And given the state of things on the islands, it was extremely difficult, if not downright impossible, to get that kind of help.

The drone took the chance and flittered back, its cameras loaded with video footage and still photos pertaining to the situation on the island.

 _ **Even my loneliness turns into strength... when I think of you.**_

 **私はあなたのことを考えるときにも、私の孤独は...強さに変わります** 。

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

The second drone team arrived within five minutes of the first team leaving after they collected their Ninjask.

This team's orders were simple: scout out the terrain around the weapons factory, if that building could be called that. But given the last drone attack on the foreman, they had to be extra careful. Thankfully as the clouds moved in, the moonlight became enshrouded with a gentle cloak of clouds and it dimmed down to almost nothing.

The only visible light came from the gauges on the boat's control console and the dim blue glow of their crystal shards. The commander of this team, Johanne Wilson, narrowed her eyes as she held the steering wheel tightly and weaved around a few broken hulks of ships before coming to a stop. She was tense, as was the entire team. Something was wrong here, and not in the minor sense, either. Something was _majorly_ wrong...

But what?

She did not expect to hear the gunshots from the ruins of the resort. Lt. Wilson grunted as she collapsed, a sharp pain, almost like being jabbed with a hot poker right in her upper arm, seared through her right arm and she gripped it, feeling the wet stickiness of blood on her uniform. She gritted her teeth and staggered up, but the pain made her collapse again as she lay there, gritting her teeth.

"Ma'am!" one of her soldiers cried as he got down to help her sit up. One of the others grabbed the steering wheel and shoved the RHIB's engine into reverse before backing out and heading away as more gunfire erupted around them. The man at the helm juked and swerved, making sure not to dislodge the rest of the occupants. "Shit!" he muttered. "We had to get ambushed!"

 _ **The thing that pierces the gentle chest, that's a fragment of my dream.**_

 **穏やかな胸を貫く事は、それが私の夢の断片です。**

"How'd they know we were coming?" Lt. Wilson grunted. "We made sure to approach by darkness!"

"My guess? The first team did something rather stupid with their drone," her helper said as his eyes narrowed. "Let's see that wound."

She gritted her teeth as she showed him the wound and he frowned. at the amount of blood. It was bad, but it only looked worse than it was. He made sure to get to work as best he could on a moving boat.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

The destroyer's battle was not going so well... for the enemy anyway.

The last of the steampunk-like ships had wisely retreated, leaving the _Gyrados Giant_ to face down the large Water-type Pokémon alone. Even so, the destroyer was heavily damaged to some degree, but that didn't mean they couldn't fight. Attica's eyes were hard as he faced the windows, looking out at the Pokémon as the two serpentine shapes began to move, one of them powering up a Hyper Beam attack and preparing to let it loose.

The captain's eyes were hard as he tensed and spun to face his TAO. "Fire the five-inch!" he cried.

"Aye, sir!" the man said. Barker gave the order and the five inch gun swung around, a shell loading into the breech before firing with a loud, thunderous roar. The shell's spent casing ejected from it, and clattered on the deck before the round slammed home. The Gyrados roared in pain as the shell had managed to penetrate its scales and wound it. Blood oozed from its wound into the sea, and the second Gyrados smelled the scent, feral instincts taking over. The first Gyrados had no idea what was coming as it cried out, but not from pain caused by its fellow.

Sharpedo were feasting on the beast. The thrashing water indicated a gruesome struggle, and he averted his gaze as the _Gyrados Giant_ turned sharply to port as a large blast of water erupted near where they had been mere seconds ago. The slate blue and blue warship kept turning hard, finally swinging its five-inch gun around to let loose a second round. The second Gyrados, on the other hand, had learned from watching its fellow get hit in the side with that very shell and it dove down, circling around to try and get a hit in on the destroyer's vulnerable underside.

 _ **Believe once more in the miracle that is our chanced meeting.**_

 **私たちの偶然の会議である奇跡にもう一度信じています。**

Attica sensed this and barked an order for the helmsman to go all back.

He responded and within moments the blast of Hyper Beam barely scraped the bow of the ship, a very close call.

"Arm and launch two fish!" Attica barked. "We have to finish this!"

"Aye, sir!" the TAO said. As soon as the orders were given, the two torpedoes leapt from their launchers and headed straight for the Gyrados preparing a second strike on them. The two charges came streaking through the water, homing in on the beast and striking it, or rather exploding in the water around it as it swung its tail to nerate a wave of water.

The explosions though did a number on the creature as it roared, the shockwaves causing it to collapse from the sheer force, blood oozing out of its ears and mouth; the concussive force had killed it. Captain Attica sighed in relief as he closed his eyes. But of course things were not done yet. It was only going to get worse once the Ninjask drone teams returned from their mission.

 _ **In the days without you, I've stopped moving.**_

 **あなたなしの日では、私が動きを止めました。**

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

 **0000 hours**

The two RHIBs pulled up alongside the battered destroyer, the lines being tossed down to haul them aboard the ship. The boats were lifted out of the water and the teams disembarked once they were secured on the deck. Lt. Wilson was brought down to the medical bay to have her injury treated and to see if anyone else had been hurt while Lt. Harris and her team were summoned to the commander's room for the briefing.

It didn't take long for the captain to step into the room, his eyes hard and his body tense. "I heard the mission went well," he stated, although his tone indicated it was more of a question than anything.

The lieutenant nodded, her eyes grim and a bit solemn. "Yes, sir," she murmured, reaching down and lifting up the Ninjask drone. She set it down on the table; it was larger than the table's width, but thankfully it didn't cause the structure to collapse. The table did groan a bit, but other than that, remained intact. She reached down again and pulled up the control box, setting it down next to the drone and, with a few commands on the keyboard, tapped into the drone's memory banks and brought up the video footage. "It's not pretty, sir, and given the circumstances, I think it would be wise if no one else saw this until we are absolutely sure nothing can be done."

Attica narrowed his eyes. "What is it?" he asked.

Lt. Harris was silent as she turned the monitor so he could see.

 _ **But now I am walking out of here.**_

 **しかし、今、私はここから出て歩いています。**

Captain Attica's face paled as the blood drained from it and he staggered back, slumping down in the chair nearest to Harris. "My God..." he rasped. "Arceus... those poor people..."

"It gets worse, sir..." Harris stated. "We found out what that building they're constructing is." Her eyes were grim as she looked her captain right in the eye. "It's a bomb factory. For producing atomic weaponry. Low grade at best, high grade at worst. We don't know what grade though."

"A nuclear bomb factory?" Attica blurted, his eyes widening. "You've... Goddammit...!" he snarled. "I thought it was bad, but I wasn't expecting that bastard to be developing such weapons!" He gritted his teeth. "What does he expect to get by developing such weapons? It's not like he can get them out across the ocean to other countries, and as it stands, only Ransei has the ability to deploy such weapons on a large scale!"

Harris nodded. "But we also discovered within that slave camp some kind of domed structures buried underground partially. And knowing what we have, I can only fear the worst..." Her voice trailed off as she zoomed in on the so-called dome structure, and Attica narrowed his eyes.

"Looks like it could be, but we could be wrong. It takes years to build those things," he mused. "About ten years, if not longer given the limited resources of the region."

 _ **All the coincidences we shared, certainly**_

 **我々は確かに、共有されているすべての偶然の一致**

"True," Harris admitted. "And... well... the facial recognition software..." Her voice fell away as Attica's eyes widened as he saw the drone's software matching up to the faces cross-referenced from personnel files for the crew's family members. Including his own sister.

Now... it was personal.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

 **0115 hours**

The "briefing room" was a mess of sailors, both men and women alike, as they all sat down, some of them standing against the walls and a few sitting on the table in the rear of the room. As it was, not all could fit into the main room for detailing mission plans, so the briefing was actually being held in the helicopter bay instead. A makeshift projector had been rigged using some of the electrical gear and an antique overhead. The XO stood close by as the crew finished filing into the room and the large hangar bay doors slid shut.

The interior door opened moments later and Attica stepped into the room, brushing his arms of any possible dust or sweat and he placed his hat back on his head. "Okay, people. We have a mission, and a big one. It's probably one of the most unexpected missions we've ever encountered, and it could be very important not just for Ransei, but those of us who have family in this hellhole. In short, we're going to be launching an operation to liberate a slave camp in operation on this island and to disrupt production of a nuclear bomb factory currently under construction," he explained. "So, I'm going to show you some of the footage we obtained via the Ninjask drones, and I have to warn you, it's pretty gruesome. I don't expect all of you to be able to watch it, but just for a heads up, I won't blame you if you choose to leave the room."

Much to his surprise and credit, though, none of the sailors left the room. They merely stayed and shifted, a few tightening their lips and shaking their heads. He nodded. "Okay."

The overhead projector lit up, beaming the contents of the footage onto the wall before them, and some of the crew did grimace, but only one clapped a hand to her mouth, even though she didn't budge. They all stared in shock, and some of them stood up, and Attica nodded, knowing that these crew members had family on this hellhole of an island.

 _ **They all have their meanings.**_

 **彼らはすべてのそれらの意味を持っています。**

The footage played for a bit longer before he cut it out and resumed the briefing. "We're going in teams, and the ship will be on standby to provide covering fire should the need arise. With the CPC-21B, we should have a chance to disrupt the security systems, but I'm ordering the ship to not launch them unless I give the order. I don't want to get into a fierce firefight needlessly. There are also other people held there, so it's not just personal, it's primarily for the morale of those refugees who have fled to our shores. Our mission will consist of two teams: one to liberate the camp, the other to set charges at the bomb factory and decimate as much of the facility as possible. Also, if we can gather more intel on their weapons program, that will prove to be useful in many ways. So try and capture any prisoners you can, but do not hesitate to kill if they resist or fight back." His eyes roved over every crewman and woman in the room. "So, any volunteers, besides those of us with family members here?"

A few men and two women raised their hands.

Attica nodded. "Okay. Get to the armory and load up. We're leaving in fifteen."

* * *

 **Ruins of Aqua Resort**

The trip there wasn't long, and the teams, commanded by Captain Attica himself, charged into the waters via the RHIBs. The two groups split off and headed for separate parts of the dock. The RHIBs docked and the team members disembarked, each one of them outfitted with "Rock Tomb" chest armor plating and carrying the M-15 "Bronzong" assault rifles. The teams consisted of ten members total, five per team. Attica gestured to his team and they split off from the other, commanded by Rey Ze Bel.

Attica's team was to handle the slave camp; Rey's team was to handle the factory. As it was, they weren't sure of the success rate, but they had to try.

Attica and his team slowly made their way through the destroyed and overgrown structures of the former resort, now mostly covered in dead and decaying vines. The sand was also starting to consume the ruins, so they saw some buildings starting to be covered by it. Not enough to really do much damage, but enough to show what was happening. One of his team members, a man named Randall Le Forge, looked back at him. "Sir? Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, didn't you see the number of guards on that footage?"

"I did, Ensign," he muttered. "And don't worry. I got an idea." He hefted the "Flash" stun grenade in his hand. "Once blinded, you guys move in and kill as many guards as possible without harming the prisoners. Switch to dark goggles, then night vision."

The ensign nodded nervously and the team darted closer to the camp's perimeter. Attica held out a hand and they stopped, ducking behind one of the buildings and eyeing the area warily. Attica did a quick count of the guards. ' _Fifteen..._ ' he noted. ' _Could be more inside..._ '

 _ **When our dreams comes true one by one, and we meet again,**_

 **私たちの夢が1つ、真の1を来て、我々は再び会うとき、**

He waved a hand and the group ran out from the cover and over towards the wall of the camp. Thankfully Attica was relieved to see they were using what remained of a mall's parking lot for the slave camp; no doubt the mall itself was unstable, and that made it a perfect place to ambush the guards both on the exterior perimeter and within the camp itself. He looked towards the crumbling mall and waved for his team to follow.

The ensign went on ahead first; being a refugee, he was knowledgeable about the layout of the mall and the resort, so they relied on him to guide them through the structure to the top floor where they had a good vantage point for the sniping. It also had a large segment that formed one of the walls and the top was fairly flat, so that gave them an edge in being able to get down to the perimeter walls. Their night vision goggles' pale green vision allowed them to see the guards as clearly as in daylight; the guards were no doubt using only their natural night vision and the subtle glow of flashlights indicated that they were scanning the ground for any intruders outside the camp perimeter.

Attica looked to Ensign Le Forge and the man waved for them to follow him.

They made their way down the wall segment's flat top, taking care to not dislodge any rocks.

But one of his team, a clumsy woman named Sarah Black, yelped and slipped. Attica froze in his tracks and reached out, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her back up.

But the damage was already done. Bright searchlights started coming on and the group was caught in the middle of a trap.

"Shit..." Attica muttered.

 _ **The coincidences become destiny.**_

 **偶然は運命になります。**

"Attica to _Gyrados Giant!_ I need an Extremespeed launched this way on the double!" he barked into his PokéGauntlet as the guards began to train their rifles on them and open fire; everyone ducked down and took cover on the flat part of the wall they were using. It wouldn't be long before someone spotted them and picked them off by headshot.

" _Aye, sir! One missile inbound!_ " his third in command barked. The woman was sharp, he had to admit. Given how she always seemed to be one step ahead, he felt glad she was on the crew.

The group began to open fire back on the guards, but their rounds missed. Still, they had to hold out long enough until the missile arrived with its CPC-21B payload. Attica gritted his teeth and looked back at the slave camp, his heart racing in his chest as he narrowed his eyes. "Slaves... And I thought the conditions within Fiore and Almia were bad!" he muttered.

" _Sir, we got the missile headed to your coordinates,_ " the TIC remarked. " _Prepare for EMP detonation!_ "

"Will do, Brenda!" the captain said. He cut the line and raised his voice. "We got a missile inbound! Pulse imminent!"

The attackers blinked before looking at him. Ensign Le Forge opened his mouth to speak, but was caught by a bullet to his shoulder and he collapsed, clutching at the bleeding wound. He grimaced and gasped in pain, forcing the group to duck down once more as gunfire erupted all around them. Attica cursed loudly in Ransian as he realized they had fallen right into a trap. And there was no way out.

Except for one.

 _ **If even the torn promises can change into vows,**_

 **でも引き裂かれた約束は誓いに変更することができた場合は**

Attica glanced around, trying to scan for any sign of the incoming missile, but the thick darkness prevented him from actually seeing it; it also didn't help much that the searchlights were forcing them to keep their heads down. This was a perfect killing spot, he realized. And they had walked right into it. He gripped his rifle and peered over briefly, only to pull back as a bullet barely ricocheted away inches from his nose. He swore under his breath as he looked back at his team.

Thankfully they didn't have to wait much longer as he heard the telltale shriek of the Extremespeed missile. He grinned to himself as he lowered his dark goggles and gestured to his team to do the same. Four other pairs of goggles dropped down and within five minutes (although it seemed much longer), the missile exploded in the air right above the camp, the EMP shorting out all electronics and causing the searchlights to overload. The Ransian PokéGauntlets and NVGs were heavily shielded to prevent the same thing from happening, although the night vision display wavered before stabilizing.

Sparks erupted from the circuit breakers and the lights themselves along with the sirens, shutting down all communications and plunging the facility into thick blackness.

That threw the guards off balance and Attica seized the chance.

"Go!" he hissed. "Go, go, go!"

The team took the chance to leap off as Attica threw the "Flash" stun grenade into the middle of a pack of guards and it exploded, blinding the guards and forcing them to cover their eyes. The captain took his opportunity to hit the guards with several well-placed shots and the rest of the team switched back to night vision to get the advantage over their attackers.

 _ **Can we also change back to the two of us from the time we met at that place?**_

 **我々はまた、我々はその場所で会った時から、私たちのうちの2つに戻って変更することはできますか？**

Attica watched as the rest of his team went to town on shooting the guards while he himself started bandaging Le Forge's wound. "It'll hurt, but we'll finish treating it once back on board the ship," he said gently as he tied the bandage tight.

The ensign grunted with the pain, but nodded. "Good..." he rasped.

"Stay here," Attica instructed him. "I'll be right back!"

He gripped his rifle and leapt into the fray, landing right in the middle of the camp from the ledge they had been on. He spun to the side as a guard tried to slice him with a piece of metal carved to look like a sword, and he lashed out in a side kick, nailing the guard in the torso before he spun and delivered a nasty roundhouse kick to his skull, sending him sprawling before he dealt an elbow strike to the guard's face, knocking him out. The captain spun around again and fired off a shot that kneecapped a man and he drew his combat knife before slicing the man across the throat and tossing him aside.

Attica was tense as he fought his way to a safe spot where the prisoners and slaves were holed up. He wasn't sure how they had known to take refuge there, but it was only later that he learned that one of his teammates had signaled them to take cover and stay there while they had been trying to avoid getting killed up there on that ledge. He made a promise to give the man or woman a medal when they got back to the ship.

He got down to his knees and held out a hand to one of the prisoners.

 _ **The dear faces that resemble "kindness".**_

 **「優しさ」に似親愛なる顔。**

The young girl shied away and hid behind the legs of a woman who was badly beaten and bruised. Her eyes were a shade darker than his, and her hair was a brunette red, and she frowned as she squinted her eyes, trying to make out their savior. Attica held up his crystal, the blue glow illuminating his face and eyes. "Don't worry!" he told them. "I'm here to help!"

The woman stared at the man for a moment before she rubbed her eyes. She inched closer, trying to still her shaking hands. She reached up, and Attica frowned at her actions, causing her to pause. But as she did so, the light of his crystal shone down on her and his eyes widened in shock at her and her condition. He crawled a bit closer, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

The woman shielded her eyes as she inched closer, reaching out a shaking hand and whispering out his name. "Neils?"

"Sasha?" he whispered, his eyes wide as she finally grasped his hand, her hands weak and frail compared to his own.

Sasha Attica nodded, feeling overjoyed at seeing her brother who she had heard was dead for seven years. The sheer relief she felt at seeing him alive and healthy made her shiver, and Attica wrapped his arms around his older sister, feeling happy at having her back in his arms. He broke down crying as he hugged her tightly, taking care to not harm her any more than she already was. "I was so worried..."

 _ **I can see with my eyes closed, I know you are here without our hands touching.**_

 **私の目を閉じて私はあなたが私たちの手の触れることなく、ここにいることを知っている、見ることができます。**

"What are you doing here?" she whispered, her voice hoarse from screaming and torture. "I... I thought..."

"I know, Sash..." Attica said gently. "I was worried you were dead too."

Both siblings huddled there until a loud explosion reminded him of the danger they were in. He gritted his teeth and stood up, dropping down his NVGs and scanning the area. Around him he could see the guards were either dead or wounded, and judging by the flashes of light from his team's gunfire, he suspected they had taken shelter in the camp barracks and were sniping down the remaining guards. His gun twitched in his hands as he spun, seeing a movement out of the corner of his eye and firing at the man as he charged out from the shadows.

Attica finally grasped the grenade in his hand and shouldered his rifle before barking an order over his PokéGauntlet. "Dark goggles now!" he ordered.

The team stopped firing and he looked back at the refugees. "Cover your eyes and look away!" he said. "Then as soon as I give the signal, run for the main entrance! Got some guys hopefully on the other-"

His voice was cut off as a massive explosion rocked the entire area, and his eyes shot up towards the large fireball as it arced skyward. The telltale sign of the job his SIC had done. He smirked a bit, but the Geiger counter on his PokéGauntlet was starting to chirp and he knew they only had a certain amount of time before the radiation levels reached lethality.

He took the chance and threw the "Flash" grenade, the small crystal shard within exploding and illuminating the area, but also blinding the opponents.

 _ **Even if I can't see the strayed answers tomorrow,**_

 **私は明日迷いの回答を見ることができない場合であっても、**

"MOVE!" he yelled, firing his rifle at the guards as they cried out, trying to shield their eyes from the blue light. The prisoners were in rough shape though, so they needed some time to get to their feet.

His mind raced as he looked back at the large gate, but much to his relief, one of his team was already moving towards it and hitting the keypad with the access code she had swiped from the head of security. The huge doorway began to shudder and groan as it slid open, exposing the outside world to the prisoners in seven years. Many of them broke down at seeing the results of seven years of uncontrolled savagery and warfare that ripped their island apart and left it a desert wasteland. But some swore revenge, and those that were able to stand or had some measure of strength acquired weapons from the dead guards and he smiled at this.

Now they had a chance to get some people to safety.

Le Forge met up with them several minutes later, his shoulder bleeding heavily under the bandages. "Sir, we got fifty minutes before the radiation levels hit lethal," he said.

"I know," Attica responded. "We gotta bug out now."

"It won't be easy to transport all these people back to the ship. And as it turns out, we may not have enough time..." The ensign's voice trailed off.

"Then we'll have to commandeer a ship from the port," Attica replied. "I'm not leaving any of them to die here."

 _ **I carry the truth known as "today" in order to meet you.**_

 **私はあなたを満たすために、「今日」として知られている真実を運びます。**

"That's a no go, sir. Remember? The ships are pretty much rusting hulks and I doubt any of them can move," Rey replied as he and his team met up with the group of survivors and the rest of the crew.

Attica spat out a nasty four letter curse as he punched the closest wall.

"It's okay..." one of the prisoners said. "We can hole out within the basements until it dies down..."

"No!" Attica hissed. "I refuse-"

"At least take the wounded and very sick," one of the men said, holding up his rifle. "We'll provide cover and look after those who can't make it."

Attica was stunned. "But why?!" he blurted. "We can figure out some other way!"

"No," the man said. "It's too risky, and your man said it himself. There's not enough time. That radiation will be on us shortly. So take those who can't fight and go. We'll keep them busy as best we can until we die."

 _ **The further we are apart, the nearer I feel you are.**_

 **さらに我々は、離れて、私はあなたが感じる近いです。**

He hesitated, unsure of whether he was making the right choice. His ship had enough room to take them, but then again, he needed to prioritize the younger generation and those who were wounded and very sick. He looked back at his sister, who stepped closer to the children. Then back at the other men and women who looked as bad as her, but with a fierce determination in their eyes.

His crystal hummed with resolve and he clenched it, feeling the determination and gratitude within them and he bowed his head. "So I can't get you to change your minds?" he asked.

The man shook his head. "No. But this way, we'll be repaying the favor. You saved us, and now we'll save you."

"But you'll die here!" Attica cried.

"Better to die free than die a slave," the man replied with a grim smirk. "After all, none of us chose that fate. Now, you've given us back our freedom. And we're choosing to die protecting you as you get the next generation and those we can't defend out of here. We may not be aware of what's happening in the outside world, but from the looks of things, someone is fighting back. And if you're any indication, then well, we'll gladly die for your country, whatever it is."

Attica was stunned. These prisoners, who had been mere slaves before, were willing to die for a cause despite not knowing what was happening in the outside world... and all for their own.

He closed his eyes, lowering his head as he gritted his teeth.

 _ **Even my loneliness turns into strength... when I think of you.**_

 **私はあなたのことを考えるときにも、私の孤独は...強さに変わります。**

His eyes were hidden by his hair partially as his shoulders shook and he clenched his fists. "Dammit... I... I just wish we didn't have to make this choice..."

Rey opened his mouth to speak, but Attica held up a hand. "I know, Rey. The radiation is getting closer." He looked up, his eyes hard, but with tears in them. "Everyone who isn't fit to fight, follow me."

The wounded and ill prisoners made their way after him down to the docks and the two RHIBs, and each minute the Geiger counters ticked faster. They needed to hurry, and fast.

* * *

 **RNS _Gyrados Giant_**

 **0400 hours**

Attica slumped back in his chair in the bridge, his eyes haggard and worn. He couldn't recall the last time he had been on a mission like this, let alone gotten very little in the way of sleep. His eyes closed and he sighed, rubbing his forehead with his hands. The ship's engines throbbed with power and he felt the sheer energy within the hull as he opened his eyes and sat up, peering out as the thick cloud of radiation began to push beyond Sophian Island.

"Well... that's one island that'll never recover in the foreseeable future," he mused as Rey stepped into the room.

"The explosives did cause the entire thing to blow," Rey said seriously. "We're just lucky the crystals can reduce radiation exposure to a limited degree. But we still got rad treatment."

Attica nodded. "I know... Just be glad it wasn't lethal."

"Of course, we can't say the same for the prisoners we rescued," Rey murmured, his voice going soft.

 _ **The thing that pierces the gentle chest, that's a fragment of my dream.**_

 **穏やかな胸を貫く事は、それが私の夢の断片です。**

The captain froze at that. He turned in his chair, his eyes wide. "What?"

Rey was silent as he closed his eyes. "They will live, but some won't be able to have children, and cancer may take its toll on them. Their lives we did save, but their futures are limited."

Attica was silent as he processed this. His eyes closed and he sighed, pressing a hand to the bridge of his nose. "Well, it was a risk..." he mused. "Still, any time they have left spent with their families is better than being a slave and dying a horrific death in that hellhole. That's all that matters."

The SIC opened his eyes. "A good outlook, sir. But if they do have kids... what will you do then?"

The captain was silent at that. In truth, he had no idea. It was something he had never considered, and according to the doctor, there was no chance of them having children, especially the women. It was just too big a risk at this point. He looked out the window, his eyes narrowing at the irradiated island. "I do know one thing: they'll never be going home to Sophian Island..." he replied. "That's all I can say, really."

 _ **As it is, believe once more in the miracle that is our chanced meeting.**_

 **それがあるように、私たちの偶然の会議である奇跡にもう一度信じています。**

Rey nodded. "That's something you and I agree on then, sir."

Both men were silent before Attica shifted and turned his gaze towards the helmsman. "Take us home, full speed. I don't want to stick around any longer than necessary."

"Aye, sir!" he replied. He turned the ship's bow away from the island and the destroyer swung his stern wide before the screws churned the water to a froth and propelled the mighty ship back towards the safe haven of Ransei.

As they left, Attica clenched his fists, feeling blood oozing from the cuts his nails made on his palms. He hated having to leave any survivors to die on that place, but, as Ransei's Supreme Warlord once said, any lives saved are worth fighting for, no matter how small the numbers. And those words were never truer than now.

* * *

 **FLEETCOM - Fleet Command**

 **All right, peeps~! Here comes another chapter! :D Don't be afraid to read and review! :) Next chapter is gonna be a good one, as well. :) So keep your eyes open and enjoy the Ransei Chronicles! ;D**

 **Ja ne~!**


	14. LCM-7 Lapras

**File # 012**

 **LCM-7 "Lapras" Mechanized Landing Craft**

 **Type:** Mechanized Landing Craft

 **Displacement:**

58.7 tons (light)

113.2 tons (loaded)

 **Length:** 22.27 m

 **Beam:** 6.4 m

 **Draft:**

1.23 m (light)

1.6 m (loaded)

 **Propulsion:** 3x two cylinder HoR-powered reactor engines

 **Speed:**

22 km/h (light)

17 km/h (loaded)

 **Capacity:** 54.4 tons of cargo

 **Compliment:** 6-8

 **Armament:** 2x 12.7mm machine guns

* * *

 **NOTES**

Landing craft are an asset in any naval invasion.

But depending on the circumstances, not many landing craft designs have been accepted for production. In fact, almost always they've been rejected.

That changed with the introduction of the LCM-7 "Lapras" Mechanized Landing Craft.

The Lapras may not look like its namesake, but that doesn't matter. What _does_ matter is its ability to carry cargo across the ocean from the fleet. To prevent the cargo from being tossed overboard by the storms, all cargo is tied down using heavy-duty steel cables attached to the deck plating of the craft itself. While not an ideal situation, it does prevent the cargo from being lost. The landing craft's shallow draft does prevent it from traveling across distances during stormy weather, making it possible to get swamped if the waves are too big.

The Lapras' three HoR powered reactor cores give it the ability to remain in operation as long as needed, but the two cylinder engines are a far cry from the more advanced types used in later ships. The landing craft was built from the ground up to be able to carry 54.4 tons of cargo, which surprisingly can include heavy equipment like the Steelix main battle tank and artillery. The boat is armed with only two 12.7mm machine guns, so these ships have to be protected at all costs from the enemy's forces. Both humans and Pokémon tend to target them, making it vitally important that ships armed with adequate and appropriate firepower defend them from attack.

The best method to such a defense is to have either a battleship or cruisers, or even a destroyer squadron, acting as covering fire for them as they make their way towards shore. Air superiority is a must, so as to prevent Pokémon and human enemies alike from attacking them and preventing any chance of establishing a successful beachhead on any enemy shores. The landing craft are also prone to capsizing or swamping if their balance is off in any way. So all loads have to be distributed properly to ensure a stable voyage, even if it is just a short distance traveled.

One advantage to the Lapras though is its unique ability to traverse the rivers to act as a patrol vessel in addition to a landing craft. Its shallow draft makes it a perfect river boat, and it has proven its value in several tests, including a war-game with LaRousse. (LaRousse, seeing how effective and supportive it can be, put in several dozen orders for the craft.)

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"The Lapras is one hell of a landing craft! Got my tanks over to the invasion beach as soon as it began!" - Commander Gerald Detrick, Company A, Third Shock Guard, Fifth Armored Brigade, Third Army Group (Fort Nell)

"Had to hand it to them. Ransei came through for us with this." - Captain Larris Wilcox, LNS _LaRousse_

"Lapras Landing Craft make excellent river boats." - Ensign Ulrich Heinz, RNS _Koenig_

"Just wish the things had more firepower. Two measly machine guns ain't gonna cut it once the real fight begins!" - Chief Petty Officer Frederick Young, RNS _Kusanagi_

"Not as expensive as some other ships, but are easier to make and churn out. And surprisingly robust!" - Supreme Warlord Spray Krane on their durability and reliability

* * *

 **16 September, 6 YDR**

 **Ransei Naval Command**

 **Fontaine**

 **1400 hours**

Spray blinked as he stared at the large landing craft in front of him. His eyes narrowed as he turned to face the shipyard administrator. "You sure this thing is gonna work?" he asked. "It doesn't look like any previous landing craft I've seen."

The administrator, Drew Abraham, folded his arms and nodded. "I can see why you'd think differently." He gestured to the landing craft with one brawny arm. "The old style used in the past by prior warlords and kingdoms looked more like a Lapras than this one. The bridge we moved back because that was blocking the ramp for offloading. That was the key thing. Going around it was one thing, but it often led to longer offloading times, and believe me, that is the last thing we need if the invasion is to be a success," he explained.

The Supreme Warlord nodded. "I see why then," he mused. "Seconds are critical in any invasion."

Drew pursed his lips. "There's also the fact that the Lapras is underarmed when compared to its predecessor. Only two machine guns. But, we hope that the longevity, if anything, will make up for the gap. It's gonna take time to prove it though..." The shipyard administrator was serious as he muttered those words.

Spray was silent as he pondered this. The LCM-7, the latest in a long line of such craft, wasn't very well built for the heavy seas, as some of the tests had shown. But it did make for an excellent river boat. Able to swiftly travel up the rivers and deep into enemy held territory. But so far they didn't even know if the new region possessed any suitable rivers, let alone any places to dock or put ashore to gather supplies. Hell, he had no idea of there were even any friendlies in the area! He gritted his teeth and turned back to head out towards the parking lot. "I'll see the report once you send it to me," he said.

Drew nodded. "Understood, sir," he replied.

Spray made his way down to the parking lot where his bike was parked. He gripped the crystal around his neck and pulled it off once he reached his motorcycle. He slipped his leg over the seat and started the bike. He released the brakes and kicked up the kickstand, gunning the engine and speeding out as he hunched down behind the windshield.

The wind whipped at his hair and trenchcoat, but he brushed it aside and ignored it as he studied the data readouts on the entire area. One of the streets flashed yellow and a detour popped up; road construction, he realized. He turned down onto the suggested detour and followed it as he wove in between cars, trucks, and even a few military vehicles. It wasn't uncommon to see Ransei's military doing patrols and drills within some parts of the cities and country; it was actually considered normal, so as long as people stayed out of their way. Most did, but every so often a few adventurous kids found themselves in the middle of a simulated attack or firefight, and sometimes they even got injured. But they were always treated for their injuries if they got any by the forces on site.

It also helped to keep the rioters and crazies quiet and out of the way.

Many people never really questioned this, because it also gave the populous an advantage in how to react to a supposed "invading force", which ensured that they were prepared for the eventuality. It was only a matter of time before things started to fray between the members of the Human Legendary Coalition. He just wasn't sure when or how.

He revved the bike's engine and popped a wheelie, speeding down the ramp and onto the major highway leading back towards Auroros. He spotted a few tanks on the road and he blinked as they proceeded to drive past. The sides were all splattered with mud and some paint flecks; no doubt they were coming back from an exercise near Fontaine's borders. Spray brushed it aside though and continued on his trip back to the capital.

The trip back wasn't too long, about two hours at the most. By the time he reached his office, it was four in the afternoon.

He proceeded to make his way to the desk and sat down at the main terminal, his eyes hard.

The warlord's fingers flew over the keyboard as he narrowed his eyes. The main screen came up and he began to type furiously. He could only hear the pounding of the keys as he studied the screen. The map came up online and he tapped into the GPS satellites that remained in orbit; of course, there were only a few left, and two of them belonged to Ransei.

One of those satellites was currently above the new region from what he was seeing. His eyes narrowed as he studied the map on the screen, taking in all the data and the images. He pursed his lips and clasped his hands together as he frowned. "So this is the new region..." he mused. "It's way bigger than I thought..." He looked at the images, and he noted at once that something was off.

For one thing, the entire region was a mess. Buildings were without power and most of them looked like guns had been taken to sections of their facades, leaving gaping holes and missing windows. Vines crawled up parts of them and the streets were starting to turn green; or rather, the streets were resembling green fields snaking through the buildings along where the streets once were. Cars were either rusting away or starting to become consumed by the greenery and vegetation. Railroads were left either empty or had trains blocking them, including the roads the rails intersected. And people were huddled in camps and/or roaming the landscape while Pokémon ran rampant.

Spray frowned as he studied the image. It just didn't seem right...

He leaned in and panned the satellite image to the north of the city he was looking at and zoomed in a bit. The camera left a bit of motion blur, but he ignored it. Spray's eyes widened a bit as he saw something caught on the camera. He homed in on it and zoomed in to get a better view.

What he saw sent his mind reeling and his stomach lurched. He ran for the trash can and grabbed it, leaning over and vomiting up the contents of his stomach. He heaved a few more times before he looked up, gasping. He had not been expecting that whatsoever! And for that matter, what the hell was that thing?! It didn't look like any Pokémon he had ever seen, and yet... it had some similarities to one of the Pokémon he had encountered during the Unification six years back. The Pokémon(?) resembled in some ways a Butterfree, and yet it was drastically different. But the way it looked was just...

Sick.

Spray staggered to his feet and somehow managed to make it to his bathroom before he washed out his mouth and called in one of the staff to clean out the garbage can. He normally would've done it, but he had some questions to answer.

He quickly saved a copy of the satellite image and transferred it to his PokéGauntlet to show one of the most renowned experts in the entire nation.

* * *

 **Ransei University of Pokémon**

 **Pokémon Biology and Anatomy Department**

 **2000 hours**

The warlord entered the university as the staff prepared to leave for the night. Spray knew the man wouldn't leave just yet, and he needed to take advantage of that before he went home for the evening. And after that, he had to be sure that the testing for the Lapras would commence as planned.

Spray headed into the lobby of the building, passing by potted plants and the Ransei University emblem of a Rhydon with a scroll and graduate's cap on its head hanging on the wall. The windows looking out over the coast showed the scene of the city of Fount, with its lights all lit up and the palace spilling its water into the ocean below. He passed by the staircase leading to the second floor and made his way to the main desk where the night watch stood, his eyes fixed on the newsscreen of his tablet.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for Professor Zeb Hanson," Spray said, getting the guard's attention. The man looked up and his eyes widened as he scrambled to his feet.

"Warlord Krane! What are you doing here, sir?" he asked.

Spray was silent as he held up his PokéGauntlet. "Got something the professor needs to see," he said grimly.

The guard blinked before he nodded. "Right. Well, if it's as important as you say, then you're in luck. He's on the second floor in his office. He's finishing up some notes for his next class." He gestured to the staircase. "But just so you know, he's about to leave in a half hour."

"More than enough time. Thanks," Spray said. He waved and headed over to the stairs, passing by a few other students as they made their way to the parking lot.

As he walked, his mind flashed back to the image he had stored on his PokéGauntlet and he shuddered a bit. The mere thought of such a thing even existing... That was why he was even here to begin with. Zeb had recently gone abroad and came back with some horrific news that he refused to share with anyone, and as it stood, no one was really sure what he had seen or where he had gone. Rumors were spreading, and he needed to get to the bottom of it and prevent conspiracies from forming. The mere thought of conspiracies reminded him of the Order of Ragnarok, and he gritted his teeth at the memories of the Unification and the aftermath.

He gripped the pipe in his hand, feeling the reassuring presence of the weapon. He had no idea why, but it seemed right to carry it wherever he went in case of an attack. Spray chalked it up to having been in the field for so long, and his body was covered in scars to prove it.

He continued walking, coming finally to the main office where Professor Hanson was located. He stopped outside the door and was about to open it when he stopped, hearing something akin to a scuffle. Spray's eyes narrowed and the warlord stepped back, pulling his weapon free from the sheath on his back and clenching it in both hands. The scuffling grew louder and the next thing he knew, a blast threw open the door and destroyed part of the wall, sending the professor sprawling on his back, groaning as he struggled to sit up. "Unh...!"

Spray looked back at him with wide brown eyes before he turned his gaze back to the smoke filled office, and his eyes widened as a large Ariados, or what _used_ to be an Ariados, came scurrying out, hissing and gnashing its pincers. The Pokémon(?) was hideously mutated, with eight legs, four of which were some kind of fungal matter, and its forehead horn was longer and sharper with a jagged edge. The rear abdomen looked more bloated and its little back antennae had mutated into a grotesque pair of wings with literal skin in between the "fingers". Its face now had fifteen eyes, and its pincers also had the same jagged edge. But the fungal matter creeping along its exoskeleton was enough to make Spray shudder in disgust.

"What in the name of Arceus is that thing?!" he blurted.

"That... Warlord Krane... is what I was studying!" Hanson grunted as he sat up, rubbing his side. Spray noticed the blood coming from beneath his lab jacket and he gritted his teeth.

"That monstrosity?" he asked.

"No... what caused it is what I was studying! The fungal matter covering it!" The professor got to his feet, his crystal pulsing as he stared the beast down. "Or rather the spore that infected it!"

"Hold on! A spore did this?" Spray asked, looking at the professor out of the corner of his eye.

"Yes." Hanson nodded. "But unfortunately, it was just too strong for the containment cage. I had to sedate it to bring it back. But the sedation must've worn off some time a few days ago." His eyes were hard and Spray turned his gaze back to the creature.

"Okay. So how do we stop it?" he wondered, hefting his staff. His crystal began to pulsate as well, and he felt the telltale buildup of energy within his chest. The Heart was sending him some strength, Spray mused. ' _Probably because of this thing._ ' he thought.

The warlord held up the pipe and the crystal around his neck flashed, like a human heartbeat, and at once the energy began to seethe down his body and into his weapon. The very tip began to glow, and a surge of bluish-white energy emitted from the crystal, forming a sword-like lance tip right on the top of the old battered pipe. He spun the pipe a few times before holding it out in front of him with both hands, the energy tip pointed forward.

His crystal shone brightly as the mutated Ariados launched itself right at him.

Spray narrowed his eyes and brought the pipe up, blocking the creature's mandibles as it tried to gnaw through the metal. The concrete within thankfully stopped its mandibles cold. He grunted as his eyes flashed and he kicked the Pokémon away, giving himself some breathing room. The Ariados proceeded to launch a Poison Jab right for Spray, but the warlord crouched and leapt up over it, the attack slamming into the wall behind him and collapsing a few paintings and a trophy case. He swung his lance around to fire off a shockwave; he had to make this count because he didn't want to cause damage to the university any more than already had been done.

He swung the weapon around, targeting the Ariados mutation. "Aura Blade!" he cried.

The blue shockwave launched itself from his lance and sped right for the mutated Pokémon, slamming into it and causing a mild explosion that rocked the floor they were on. The attack, while not at full power, was enough to cause some minor damage, mostly consisting of overturned pots and a few chairs sent flying down the hall.

The smoke cleared a bit, just enough for him to make out the Pokémon lying on its back against an empty display case, the glass cracked and shattered around it. The Pokémon's eyes were all closed, indicating it was out like a light. Spray let out a sigh as he stood up, the burning energy fading from his body and the blade dissipating in a flash of light and sparks. He resheathed his pipe and walked over to the Pokémon, kneeling down and prodding it with a finger. "What happened to it?"

"Well, why don't you help me bring that thing in and I'll explain?" Hanson asked.

Spray looked at him and nodded. "Right."

Together the two men were able to lug the mutated beast back into the lab and a sedative was administered via an IV drip. Once it was secured and locked away, Hanson sat down at his desk and sighed, looking around the room.

Spray looked around as well, and his eyes narrowed.

Papers and all sorts of other stuff lay scattered around, while marks no doubt made by Poison Jab dotted the walls and floor. String Shot littered the ceiling and lights, while some marks from X-Scissor stood out on the nearest windows. Spray felt glad the university had reinforced the entire campus after the Undampening six years back. He frowned as he sat down across from the professor. "So, what's happened?"

Professor Hanson sighed as he placed a hand to his face and pinched the bridge of his nose. "First off, do you even know why I went abroad recently?"

Spray nodded. "Some kind of radio signal we picked up, right?" he asked.

"Yes," Hanson said. "It was a distress beacon sent out from an island off the coast of another region that has fallen into anarchy, similar to Fiore and Almia, but that's all we know. The government there claims to be the legitimate government, and they are asking for help to start to reclaim their region from the warlords that have taken over the many military installations and cities, as well as other unsavory forces. But that's not the reason why I went abroad there." He reached down and lifted up his well worn knapsack and set it down on the desk. He reached in and fished around before he pulled out a small vial of some kind of powder. "This is why I went over there. Some kind of new fungus or whatever has caused horrific mutations amongst its Bug-type Pokémon."

Spray pursed his lips as he took the vial and looked at it. "It only affects Bug-types, and nothing else? Not even humans?"

Hanson shrugged. "I started testing it and trying to study it only recently. For all we know, it could have variants."

"Any idea as to how this...thing...mutates the Bug-types?" Spray wondered, leaning forward a bit.

"No clue." Hanson shrugged again. "That's why I was studying it. I wanted to see just _how_ it cause such an event, and well, the results are plain to see." He gestured to the unconscious Ariados in its cage. "The process is actually quite disturbing, and frankly, I'm not sure how this stuff can do that. All I know is that it originated within the mushroom of the Parasect that I encountered while abroad in the new region. It was very horrifying, and to even see them... Also, I noticed that the mutated Bug-types seem to develop some kind of a hive-mind or something. It's all still very new to me."

Spray was silent as Hanson continued. "But what we do know is that it can take control of any Bug-type, and I fear that not even the Link can sever the control it has over its host. I don't know if even the Heart of Ransei can do anything. It's like something out of a horror film..." He lowered his gaze. "And frankly, if it reaches our shores, we could..."

The warlord grimaced. The memories of Viperia's downfall were still fresh in his mind, even six years later, and he did not want to have the same fate befall another kingdom, especially one that produced a large segment of Ransei's food supplies; Greenleaf would not be able to make up the shortfall alone, even with Aurora's help.

"Any ideas as to how we can counter it?" he asked the professor.

Hanson shrugged helplessly. "Even if I could find a counter, it would take a lot of luck to try and sever the control this thing has." He stood up and headed over to a steel door locked tight. He entered a code on the keypad and it hissed open once it unlocked. Spray felt the chill and he knew it was a freezer. Hanson guided the Supreme Warlord inside and headed over to one of the many tables covered with bodies.

"Sorry. We're still trying to clear this out from the Unification," he apologized.

"Forget it," Spray said, waving a hand. "You were gonna show me something?"

Hanson nodded. "Yes." He reached a table that was covered with a thick tarp. He grabbed it and pulled it off, revealing a hideously mutated Venemoth. But what threw him for a loop was that its head was cut open, exposing the brain and spinal cord. The renowned researcher put on a pair of gloves and nudged the body over onto its back. "See here?"

Spray leaned in a bit and his eyes widened at the sight of the large lump with its veins snaking into the brain and nerve center. "This thing right here is what takes control of them, like a parasite or an alien seeking a human host. As you can see, the veins integrate into the brain and spine, and psychic scans done by a few of the staff here have shown that the mind is rendered virtually null, as in it is totally destroyed and the empty brain is taken over by the parasite, fusing directly into its...conscience, or whatever. It's hard to explain," Hanson explained. "But I'm sure you get the idea, sir."

The Supreme Warlord nodded. "I do." He then looked the man directly in the eyes. "And there's no way to break it or cut it free?"

"No. See how the veins literally fuse into the brain? Even if we could remove them, it would cause irreparable damage to the host," the professor admitted. He covered the corpse once more with the tarp and the two men left the room.

"I take it though that you didn't come here just to learn about this, right?" Hanson asked his guest.

Spray shook his head. "Actually, I came to ask you about..." He raised his PokéGauntlet and activated the screen, bringing up the photos a short while later. He showed it to the professor who lowered his gaze.

"It's a lot worse now than I feared..." he murmured. He looked up, his eyes hard. "After I left, there were only a few hundred Pokémon infected with this thing. But now... The numbers are rising exponentially. I fear that if nothing is done soon, all Bug-types within the region could become carriers for this spore or whatever it is. So we have to make sure we can cure it, or at least slow its rate of infection."

Spray lowered his PokéGauntlet. "I trust you'll do everything in your power to find that, Hanson. But please. Try to do it someplace where there's no possibility for collateral damage or harm to Chrysalia's Bug Pokémon population," he said.

Hanson nodded. "I will."

With that taken care of, Spray turned and headed back out of the office and for his bike. He had a busy day tomorrow.

* * *

 **17 September, 6 YDR**

 **Undisclosed location**

The assembled team scanned over the data reports and the troop numbers, making sure everything was good for the operation.

In the middle of it all stood the Supreme Warlord, his eyes hard as he focused on the major battle lurking ahead of him. Computer screens scanned the possible scenarios the battle could take, and each one of them held possible consequences for the future of the war, and the world. Spray watched with grim determination as around him the staff of the command team began to go over the final operation phases.

The enemy shores loomed ahead of them and the operation began at once.

The naval ships launched the bombardment first, firing their shells and rockets, striking the shoreline and throwing up dust and debris. All the while, the Lapras landing craft stuck close to the parent ships as the assigned assault units began to board them. Even tanks were loaded on. As the landing craft began to move, things shifted, and Spray found himself observing as if through a plane's view. It was as if he were flying.

The whole invasion was just a big computer simulation, but out on the coast of Ransei, the Lapras were indeed acting out the part and moving towards Ransian shores.

The objective of this test was simple: to see how well the landing craft could handle in the middle of rough seas and during operational battle conditions.

And so far things were looking good overall. He only hoped the troops were holding out okay.

* * *

 **Lapras Landing Craft**

 **Ransei Coastline**

Commander Gerald Detrick grunted as his craft slammed into the water, soaking the few crewmen of his tank unit as they motored their way across choppy seas. He looked back at the destroyer his team had launched from, and he grimaced a bit. ' _Lucky saps don't have to worry about such things like waves beating the shit outta them in these things!_ ' he thought sarcastically as he rolled his eyes.

The tanker shifted his gaze back to the shoreline, and he shifted his body with the waves. It was ironic, really. He was a tanker, and yet he was squirreled away on this landing craft, his tank and a few others hidden behind the flimsy walls. Well, not really flimsy, but still a bit of a hassle to deal with. The only downside was that these landing craft didn't have any real armaments, a disadvantage when going up the rivers. To be honest, he wished that his landing group didn't have to go up the river to reach the next landing point: he wanted to be on land.

But the mission stood, and his orders were clear.

Plus he wasn't willing to risk a court martial for this.

He gritted his teeth as he gripped his crystal, feeling it pulsate with his feelings.

The Lapras landing craft groaned as it crested a wave and slammed down into the trough, burying its bow before struggling upright; the pumps were working overtime. The craft seemed a bit too flimsy, now that he thought about it. Detrick felt his heartrate increase and sweat formed on his palms as he wiped them on his uniform, not that it did much good as his fatigues were soaked with seawater. He watched the shoreline draw closer with agonizing slowness, and by now he could make out the buildings of Fount, the capital of Fontaine. The sun was partially hidden by clouds, so the temperature was fairly normal for this part of the nation.

Detrick also picked out the river where his landing group was heading.

"Hey, sir?"

The voice of his driver Theresa caught his attention and he turned to face her as she approached.

"Hey, Theresa," he said. He caught her expression and his eyes softened. "Something wrong?"

She nodded. "Are we even sure that... we can do this?" she asked. "I mean, given the fact we know so little about the new region..."

Detrick knew where she was coming from. He sighed as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I won't lie to you on this, Theresa. To be honest, I have my doubts about the invasion succeeding altogether, given the circumstances under which they contacted us. The Emperor and the rest of the government on that island are in dire straits, and we have no means of assisting them as of yet. Plus that new parasite or whatever that Professor Hanson mentioned in his report during the briefing worries me beyond belief," he admitted. "And... I'm not sure it will even be possible."

"Then why are we even doing it?" Theresa asked as the Lapras shuddered from a wave impact to the stern.

"Because if we don't try, then what kind of a message does that send?" Detrick said. "Even if it fails, at least we can try, right? Sometimes we gotta take risks if we're to determine if something works or not."

His driver looked back at the rest of the landing craft carrying the rest of their troops, a worried look in her eyes. "I just hope we can succeed at this..."

"We will. I'm not sure how, but we will. Just trust me." Detrick squeezed her shoulder gently and smiled. "Now c'mon. We gotta get ready for the landing exercise."

She nodded. "Right." Her expression still showed her doubt, but she did have a renewed sense of optimism in her eyes. And frankly, he suspected he looked the same way.

The two entered their tank and sealed the hatch as the landing craft approached the delta to the river.


	15. M29 Shuckle

**File # 014**

 **M29 "Shuckle" antitank mine**

 **Type:** antitank mine

 **Weight:** 12.56 kg

 **Explosive content:** 9.53 kg of Composition B, a mixture of 59.5% RDX (detonation velocity of 8,750 m/s) and 39.4% TNT (detonation velocity of 6,900 m/s), stabilized with 1% paraffin wax

 **Length:** 332 mm

 **Width:** 332 mm

 **Height:** 94 mm

 **Operating pressure:** 118 to 226 kg (although possibly as low as 90 kg)

* * *

 **NOTES**

Many people don't even bother to grasp that sometimes antitank munitions can be put to use against enemy Pokémon, especially those that are large and have sturdy defense, such as Golem, which, according to Pokémon researchers and professors worldwide, are resistant to even dynamite.

The answer to breaching a Golem's hard shell?

Anti-tank munitions such as the M29 "Shuckle" antitank mine.

This mine, while not looking _like_ a Shuckle in basic structure, has a pressure plate that has a design resembling a Shuckle on the top of it, which is how it got the designation. The mine is normally fitted with the M707 fuze which has an arming switch with two settings, S(afe) and A(rmed). These markings are either painted in yellow or embossed into the plastic. When the switch is set to "A" and the safety clip is removed, the mine will detonate if a vehicle drives over it. The firing mechanism is triggered by a belleville spring which flips the firing pin downwards into the stab detonator, setting off the adjacent booster charge and main explosive filling. The mine is also fitted with two secondary fuze wells which allow anti-handling devices to be fitted; e.g. the M1 pull fuze or M5 "mouse-trap" anti-lift fuze. Either or both of the secondary fuze wells on an M29 mine may be fitted with an antihandling device. The mines have been known to not only blow up tanks and/or people, but also any Pokémon that exceeds the pressure threshold for the mine.

A few attempts have been made to craft variants, but the only real success was the MC29 "Shuckle", the "C" in its designation denoting a crystal shard for increased power. It works by triggering the detonation and at the same time, when the explosive goes off, the crystal shard explodes from the heat as it is located right next to the explosive filling. The heat excites the molecules in the crystal shard, and when the energy stored within the crystal is released, it boosts the mine's explosive power, and turns the smoke a bright blue in comparison to standard antitank mines. The fireball is also tinged with a bluish white light in the center. This particular variant has been noted to not release an EMP, but a sort of visible shockwave that topples the vehicle in question onto its side or sent rolling before the explosive does the job of blowing up the vehicle. This particular variant has also led to successes against heavily armored vehicles and Pokémon like Golem.

When a Golem steps onto the mine, the shockwave makes them stagger either backwards or forwards before the explosive finishes the job, rendering the Pokémon either lifeless or horribly maimed by the shrapnel and force of the blast. It has been considered an effective defense, especially when paired with Trapinch antipersonnel mines buried around it.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Have to say, Kaminko's Trapinch mines have proven to be effective when paired with this one." - Sergeant Major Jacob Wilcox, 4th Demolition Squad, 7th Mechanized Engineer Battalion, 14th Artillery Group

"That MC29 mine is really something else! Able to take out a Golem with just one mine? Who'd have thought?" - Sergeant Andrew Kingston, Company B, GUNDAM Battalion Alpha

"Kaminko's idea of mines was good, but we went one step further." - Supreme Warlord Steven "Spray" Krane, Aurora Kingdom

"This mine really saved our asses in that mop-up operation a few months back. Those Order freaks didn't know what hit 'em!" - 1st Lieutenant Lara "Strongarm" Kali, Company F, 15th Tank Battalion, 9th Armored Brigade, 48th Shock Force Group

"Shuckle? Why name it that? Kinda stupid really." - Master Sergeant John Drake, Company E, 14th Battalion, 34th Marine Division

"Waste of time if we have the MC29. That thing is just a show of might." - Director Helen Knott, Yaksha Engineering Inc, R&D Unit 22

"Hah! Take that, Uxie!" - Warlord Hilton Ragnar, Ignis Kingdom

* * *

 **12 March, 7 YDR**

 **Terrera Plains**

 **2100 hours**

The lights flickered dimly as the military installation struggled to keep its power up and running. The old installation had been scheduled for a shutdown to upgrade its equipment, but recent events forced the facility to remain open, and it was starting to take its toll on the old power plant. The generators were smoking and sparking as the technicians, both human and GUNDAM, and Pokémon alike, tried to keep them from overloading and shorting out. As it stood, the old base was well over a hundred years old, and the wiring just wasn't up to the task of shunting electricity from the Heart of Ransei to the town located a bit further back as a result, let alone the old generators.

The base commander watched as the moon peeked through the clouds, trying to reach the desolate region. The plains themselves were lit up by the moonlight, and it seemed like it was more or less snowy than an arid desert plain. Thomas Jackson narrowed his brown eyes as he held up his PokéGauntlet, the flashlight on it shining out and touching the darkness as clouds began to creep in, blocking out the moonlight.

He shifted a bit as he sat on the crate near the fence, and his coworker, Kevin Hathaway, grunted as he took a drag from the cigarette hanging from his lips. "Damn nights always get chilly out here," he muttered.

"Tell me about it," Thomas remarked. "It's always the same out here. Try to keep the place running, and keep an eye out for the Order remnants. Gets boring after a while, don't you agree?"

Kevin nodded. "More than you know," he remarked with a smirk. He grabbed the cigarette and pulled it out of his lips, breathing out the smoke gently. "The days are so monotonous at times."

His friend nodded before he stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "Man. I just wish that we would get a bit of action out here, you know? I mean... the guys back at home base are gonna be prepping for that big invasion or whatever and we're stuck here acting as security for Terra City."

Kevin shot a glance back at the glimmer of lights beyond the horizon that indicated the city's position. "Yeah. I just don't get why the warlord wanted us out here to begin with if this place is just an arid plain."

"He's got to have his reasons, Kev. Even if we don't know what they are," Thomas pointed out as he folded his arms. "C'mon. We got a few more weeks here before we have to go back. May as well try to enjoy it while we can."

Kevin grunted. "Sure. Just hope we get some action out here and soon..."

* * *

 **Undisclosed location**

 _The wind whistled at the armory as the shapes slipped past the fence and guards._

 _Months spent scouting for this were finally paying off._

 _Months spent hiding and scrounging for the basics. Well, then again, what else could they do? Those mortal fools had beaten them and left them for dead. But they were not out just yet._

 _One of the men shot a glance back at his compatriots as they finally pulled out a few daggers and lock picks. This time, those fools would be left a message that even they would not be able to forget!_

 _The intruders slipped deeper into the armory, making their way via maps they had carefully put together over the last fifteen months directly to the vehicle bays where their targets lay in wait. The twenty men each had a particular target in mind, and they were intent on getting to them before the guards caught onto the fact that there were intruders. Of course, how could they when the security cameras were down due to maintenance? There was a reason they had picked this base for attack, and the lack of sufficient technology to keep it up to date was the very reason why. It also was a key part in keeping their tank forces at peak operating performance and in dealing with desert terrain._

 _The commander of the team gave a hand signal and they split into five teams, each heading for the tanks they were to hijack. Thankfully these were of the older Onyx model, and not of the newer Steelix model. Even so, the Onyx was still deadly to anyone that dared to attack it._

* * *

 _ **(I'm an angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun**_

 **（私は散弾銃、散弾銃、散弾銃を持つ天使です**

 **Terrera Plains**

John Drake grunted as he lifted the weights over his chest, his muscles streaming with sweat and screaming with pain as he fought it back to keep the weights above him just for a few seconds more. His eyes were hard and his hair was coated in moisture and his frame strained a bit more against the fatigue now eating at him.

He let out a breath as he slowly lowered the weights and set them back on the bar as he inched out from underneath, reaching for the towel draped over the other side. He sat up and grabbed the towel before wiping his face with it. His arms were going to be sore tomorrow, but he brushed it aside as he got up and draped the towel around his shoulders. All around him he heard the grunts and pants of his fellow Marines, both men and women, working out in the gym. He took a moment to look in the mirror at his reflection before he prepared to leave for the night shift.

A man in his late thirties to early forties looked back at him, his body thick with muscle, a tattoo of a cross on his left shoulder. A few scars crisscrossed his muscular frame, and deep brown eyes gazed back at him, framed with short, messy blonde hair, bleached by being outside during training almost every day. A crystal shard hung around his neck, resting against the bare flesh of his chest, and his PokéGauntlet rested on his left arm. He was a drill instructor, and he worked the new recruits hard to get them ready for the fighting they were sure to encounter outside of their nation's borders.

Master Sergeant John Drake sighed as he slipped his shirt on over his upper body and took a swig of water, brushing his hair out of his face.

"Hey, you going on night shift?" one of the women asked as she strode up to him, her lean body rippling with muscle like a Persian as she walked.

"Yeah. It's my night. Got out of it two days ago due to a family issue," John muttered as he wiped at his face once more with the towel. "Gotta get cleaned up first though."

"Not if you're gonna be fifteen minutes late. You don't want the base commander to chew you out again, do you?" the female Marine joked as she took a swig of Krokorade.

John looked at her like she was nuts before he checked the time on his PokéGauntlet's screen. His eyes widened as he saw that she was right. "Oh, shit! Why didn't you tell me?!" he blurted, grabbing his bag and darting for the locker rooms.

His female counterpart just shrugged and slipped underneath the weights he had been using prior.

John quickly changed into his combat uniform and grabbed his rifle propped against the wall before he ran out into the cool night air, which, he had to admit, felt rather good on his hot flesh.

 _ **An angel with a shotgun, shotgun, shotgun)**_

 **散弾銃、散弾銃、散弾銃を持つ天使）**

He ran for the parking lot before he hopped into his Jeep, starting the engine with his crystal before gunning the engine and spinning the steering wheel. The tires squealed before the vehicle leapt out of its parking spot and sped out as fast as he could get it to go. The tires stopped squealing once he hit the dirty sand of the plain and sped over it, heading right towards the perimeter he was scheduled to patrol with his unit.

The master sergeant looked at his Gauntlet's screen again, cursing under his breath as he narrowed his eyes against the wind. "Dammit! Of all the nights I had to go to the gym!" he muttered to himself as he increased speed to his Jeep's wheels. John's eyes hardened as he finally caught sight of a flashlight sending a coded message his way. He raised his left arm with the Gauntlet's screen pointing out, all lit up; it was as close to a signal as he could get when he was driving. He drove for another ten minutes before he pulled up before a group of vehicles, each of them painted the same drab brown color of the Ransei Marine Corps.

"About time you showed up," his commanding officer noted, narrowing his eyes. "What took you? Getting drunk again?"

"No, sir!" John replied, saluting before he hopped out of his Jeep. "Spent too long at the gym."

"No excuses, soldier!" the commander snapped, his eyes blazing. "Is that clear?!"

"Sir, yes, sir!" John yelled, saluting crisply.

The commander finally sighed. "Sorry. Been a bit hectic as of late. Also, Command sent word. There's been a break in at one of the tank depots. Not sure how as those places are loaded with more security than the vault at Ignotis for the gold."

"Even tighter than the Orb's?" a female Marine asked as she looked up from her phone's screen. Her green eyes reflected the glow of both her crystal and the device as an eerie green color; John thought it looked too creepy in his mind.

"Not as tight as that, but pretty damn close," the commander explained.

 _ **Get out your guns, battles begun**_

 **あなたの銃を取得し、戦いは始まりました**

"And Command wants us to do something about it, right?" a big Marine carrying a "Garchomp" bazooka asked.

"That's right, Corporal," the commander replied.

Corporal Todd Kipper snorted. "Figured as much, considering what we do for a living..." He ran a hand through his thick brown hair and narrowed his blue eyes as he looked at his commander. "So, what's the plan?"

The sergeant major, Fred Langston, placed a hand on his hip as he frowned. "Well, that's the issue, Corporal. Command doesn't have a plan for us. So we're gonna have to wing it this time."

"As typical for us Marines," John muttered under his breath as he sat down on his Jeep's hood. He hefted his crystal in one hand and tossed it up before catching it and replacing it around his neck. "Not surprised, really."

Staff Sergeant Sasha Yi closed her eyes and shook her head. "Well, we do need to know more about who stole those tanks, if any?" she asked. "Because if we're going to do something, we need to know the basics."

Langston narrowed his eyes. "Five tanks were stolen, Yi. Five Onyx tanks. And as you know, those things still pack a wallop, despite being phased out of use due to the new Steelix tank. And as for who, take three guesses."

His words were met with silence.

"Thought so. Well, I'll tell you. It was a small band from the Order of Ragnarok."

 _ **Are you a saint, or a sinner?**_

 **あなたは聖人、または罪人ですか？**

That last statement got each of the Marines to sit up straight or get to their feet in shock. A few of them even let out cries of exclamation and shock. John was one of those. "But how?!" he blurted. "How could they get past all that security?!"

Langston shrugged. "We'll find out when we ask 'em," was all he said.

Somehow John doubted it would be that easy though...

* * *

 **Undisclosed location**

 _The tanks rumbled along the desert, leaving trails of dust in their wakes._

 _The commanders at the helms each held their rosary beads close to their hearts and muttered prayers of divine blessing in the ancient tongues to their crews, giving them the divine touch of their God. The crews accepted the blessing, knowing that their mission was a divine one, given to them by their God to wake mortals to their place in the New World._

 _Alas, many still did not heed the call of the wild, and that had to be righted, no matter what the cost._

 _The commander in charge of the mission had his head poking out of the turret hatch, and his eyes were hard like ice as he fixed his gaze upon the glowing lights of the base they were to target. He called out over the radio, and the tanks halted their advance. He despised the technology, but he did have to admit it was handy in many ways, such as reaching over long distances to those of his kin._

 _The men all sat, awaiting his orders._

 _He smiled to himself, sensing his calling drawing ever closer. He gripped his rosary and closed his eyes, muttering a prayer to the God, and he heard his truename called. He opened his eyes, feeling the power of his truename coursing through his soul. He was no longer Jason Abas. He was now Adam. And he was going to carry out the mission he had been given so many months ago._

 _ **If loves a fight, than I shall die**_

 **私は死ぬよりも戦いを、愛しているなら**

* * *

 **Terrera Plains**

 **Terra City Army Base Perimeter**

The Marine detachment for the base proceeded on their patrol route, Master Sergeant Drake in his Jeep with a fellow Marine, Corporal Terra Jackson. She held in her hands a "Garchomp" bazooka, and on the seat beside her was a case of shaped charges, and in the back of the Jeep was a shoulder mounted rocket launcher, designed to fire an ATGM.

"You sure about this?" Terra asked him.

Drake looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "There was something spotted in this sector," he told her. "Not sure if it's a Pokémon or what, but the commander sure got spooked by it."

The corporal shifted a bit before she shifted her gaze from her lap to the horizon. She held up her PokéGauntlet and pressed the camera button, activating the camera function. A few taps on the screen later and she was gazing at the sight on the horizon through the infrared function. The entire area was a blank canvas, only dotted by rocks and outcroppings that poked up from the sand. She could barely make out a few skittering Pokémon in the distance, and she narrowed her eyes. "Nothing out there but a bunch of Trapinch," she remarked.

"Damn... I was sure that there'd be something out here..." he muttered.

 _ **With my heart on a trigger**_

 **トリガーに私の心を持ちます**

The last thing he ever expected was to hear a loud roar as a shell slammed into the dirty sand not too far from them. The explosion was enough to send their Jeep flying, dislodging the two occupants and their ammunition. Both Marines cried out as they landed, rolling a bit away from one another and the Jeep as it landed on the ground, exploding in a fiery ball. Drake covered his head with his hands as did Terra, both of them relying on their training to deal with the concussive force of the blast.

Once the explosion died down, the two sat up, or at least struggled to their hands and knees.

"You okay?" Drake asked.

Terra nodded, running a hand through her black hair and narrowing her green eyes as she looked around, examining the night through her NVGs mounted on her helmet. The blood in her face drained, leaving her as pale as a ghost as she stared at five incoming objects. "Oh, shit...!" she muttered.

"What's wrong?" Drake asked her as he lowered his own NVGs and turned to face her.

"We got trouble! And not the good kind!" Terra replied as she groped for the bazooka and shoulder launcher for the ATGM. Her hand found the bazooka, but the rocket launcher lay further away, and if the Jeep was any closer, once it blew, so would the ATGM. Drake muttered swears under his breath as he ran for the launcher and grabbed it, hefting it and running back to join Terra as the Jeep's gas tank finally exploded, destroying the charred remains.

 _ **They say before you start a war**_

 **あなたは戦争を始める前に、彼らは言います**

The good news was that they were alive.

The bad news: they had only one shot of both the bazooka and the ATGM. _And_ they were facing down _five_ Onyx MBTs.

The odds were not in their favor, Drake mused grimly. But then again, many things weren't in this war. While they did still have their own personal armaments, including grenades, it wouldn't do much good. Even though the Steelix was far superior to the Onyx in many ways, the Onyx still was a formidable beast. And even conventional warfare couldn't really destroy an Onyx unless one got lucky.

The two Marines ran for some nearby cover behind a rocky outcropping sticking up from the desert plain and crouched down, trying to stay as close to the surface as possible to better blend in with the surface temperature. The uniforms they wore were able to do that, but to a very limited extent; exertions such as running and fighting raised their body temperature, and the cooling systems were usually overwhelmed. So they had to remain as slow as possible during stealth missions. But this was in no way a stealth mission.

And the crews of those tanks no doubt knew it.

Drake raised his PokéGauntlet and switched on the camera function, zooming in on the tanks and spotting the crew commander of one of them peering out of the hatch. His breath hitched as he gasped in silence.

 _ **You better know what you're fighting for**_

 **あなたはより良いあなたが戦っているか知っています**

"Fuck!" he whispered.

"What?!" Terra hissed in his ear.

He turned to look at her as he crouched down behind the cover once more. "Long story short, those guys don't have any crystals," he whispered, holding up his crystal as it glowed dimly. "They got rosary beads instead!"

"Rosary beads? As in...?" Her voice trailed off and he nodded.

"Yeah. Order of Ragnarok. No doubt on some 'divine mission' their 'God' gave them," Drake replied, quoting the two words with his fingers. He let his crystal fall back around his neck against his chest. "And they're heading right for the base perimeter!"

Terra's eyes widened as she peeped out from behind the outcropping. "If they keep going, they'll be able to pass onto the base!" she realized. "And after that, just a straight shot to the city!"

Drake nodded. "Yeah. So we gotta take 'em out!"

 _ **Well baby, you are all that I adore**_

 **赤ちゃんだけでなく、あなたは私が崇拝することがすべてです**

"But with what?!" Terra hissed. "We've only got one RPG charge, and a single ATGM! We're out of ammo ever since we lost the Jeep, not to mention the radio's down! We're out of options!"

"Not really," Drake muttered, his eyes skimming the ground, as if searching for something.

Terra scowled, but said nothing as he got to his feet and ran off. She scrambled to her feet and followed him as they made their way after the tanks. Not surprisingly, they left telltale tracks as they headed on. The bad news was that they were on foot, and the tanks were going faster than they could run. Even though the Undampening for humans had removed their own limiters, the humans were still unable to match or even surpass the speed of vehicles without vehicles or enhancements of their own.

Yet for some, salvation was at hand.

As stated in previous files, the Heart of Ransei granted the citizens of the United Kingdoms of Ransei benefits, and some of those benefits came with no price. But others did have a price, as one such ability demonstrated more often than not. While aurite did react with the Aura humans possessed, in Ransei, it was different as their aurite tended to react with the Link, dulling its aura capacity, but boosting other assets such as emotional sensitivity, mental defenses, and granted minor healing abilities.

However, in rare occasions, the Heart could even grant each citizen or soldier a special attack, used only in life or death situations, but sometimes used when the situation warranted it. These attacks ranged from simple to complex, and sometimes even involved other abilities besides merely firing or kicking or punching, ranging from flight to teleportation, but not without a price.

 _ **If love is what you need, a soldier I will be**_

 **愛はあなたが必要なものであれば、兵士は私は次のようになります**

Drake had his eyes closed and his crystal was pulsing with energy and urgency as he ran, wishing desperately to be able to arrive at the next point of interception. He was yearning with all his heart, and he wanted nothing more than to stop those tanks with every ounce of his being. He gritted his teeth as the crystal pulsed again, sending a warmth racing throughout his body, tingling his very flesh and muscles, his hair standing on end. He felt it growing stronger with each pulse, and on sheer instinct, his hand lashed out, grabbing onto Terra's arm.

A sudden jolt overtook his senses, and he, for the briefest of moments, felt nothing as his body sort of... flickered... and shimmered out of existence before reappearing and solidifying someplace else further ahead of the tanks. The two Marines landed on the ground, feeling kind of dizzy and unsteady on their feet after that incident, and Drake looked down at himself, confused as the energy surging through him faded. He looked at his crystal, stunned. From what he had read and heard, attacks usually relied on the weapon they were carrying at the time. But he had just teleported!

The exhaustion hit him next and he actually staggered, collapsing onto his stomach, panting heavily, although his strength was slowly starting to return. He glanced out of the corner of his eye as Terra blinked, shaking her head from the disorientating maneuver. "What the hell...?" she rasped, rubbing at her forehead.

Drake groaned and struggled to push himself into a sitting position, but his body was still drained from the effort of even teleporting them both. That, and his weapon apparently had landed halfway in the dirt from dropping it.

 _ **I'm an angel with a shotgun**_

 **私は散弾銃を持つ天使です**

"Dammit...!" he panted. "What... what happened...?"

He struggled to sit up again, this time managing to do so and he gazed down at his hands. "I...What did I just do?"

"No clue, sir, but we got to be ready! We're a ways ahead of the tanks!" Terra replied, having regained her senses and activating her PokéGauntlet's camera function. She was peering at the screen intently, but no sign of the tanks was visible. Or rather, he suspected she was using the GPS function to keep tabs on their positions. "They'll be here in about fifteen minutes!"

That alone got Drake's adrenaline surging. He scrambled to his feet, forgetting his exhaustion and grabbing the rocket launcher and hauling it out of the dirt; thankfully it had landed with the missile facing skyward, not into the ground like he had feared. He hefted it and nearly staggered as a result, but he forced it from his mind as he ran to where Terra was aiming her Gauntlet.

"Which way, soldier?" he asked.

She merely pointed before shutting down her PokéGauntlet and grabbing her bazooka, busying herself with loading up the round she had with her. Like he had feared, they each had only one shot. But from what he could recall, there were plenty of landmines scattered around the base perimeter...!

 _ **Fighting til' the wars won**_

 **勝った戦争 'ゴマファイティング**

"Landmines...!" Drake whispered. "Landmines! I completely forgot! We've got antitank mines and antipersonnel mines scattered all over the place!"

Terra flicked her gaze over to him as she finally aimed her bazooka in the direction the tanks were coming from. "Sir?"

"Landmines, Terra!" the master sergeant remarked. "They're everywhere. And if those tanks keep coming from this direction, they're sure to run over a bunch of them."

"So..." Terra scrunched her eyebrows together as she struggled to grasp his plan. "If they drive over them and they go off... then... they'll either be destroyed... or immobilized...!" she murmured, realization finally dawning on her face.

Drake nodded. "That's right. But from what I know about the layout, there's very few antitank mines here, but loads of antipersonnel mines. So we gotta find and use those AT mines, as well as what we got."

"That's gonna be difficult, sir, and we only have ten minutes to come up with a plan!" Terra shot back.

Her superior growled as he gritted his teeth. "Damn!"

 _ **I don't care if heaven won't take me back**_

 **天は私を取り戻すしない場合、私は気にしません**

* * *

 **En route**

 _Adam sneered as he watched the base getting closer with each passing moment. His eyes glinted and he held his rosary beads closer, his heart pounding within his chest. He felt his flesh and blood body tingling under the influence of adrenaline, a trait of all mortal humans. But he... he was not of mortal flesh, not since his God had told him his truename._

 _He forced the thoughts from his mind as he gazed at the base, finally seeing the lights coming into view. "Yes..." he whispered, the wind stealing the word from his lips._

 _Across from him he could see the other tanks and his disciples, each one a man with a purpose, and a sense of contentment settled upon his soul. His eyes closed and a beatific smile appeared on his face. He could practically feel his God's divine touch upon his very psyche, and he reveled in it. He enjoyed it. He was_ addicted _to it. He drank it in, and his mind held a new clarity before him. He could feel the minds of his fellow soldiers in this divine war, and his God whispered in his ear._

 _He heeded the call, and gave out the order._

 _Two tanks peeled to the right, one to the left, and the other two kept going on forward. The mission was simple: to destroy as much of the base as possible, and start a revolution in this heartless land. Adam was justified in his actions, he felt. But alas... he was not the only one on a mission that evening..._

 _ **I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe**_

 **私はちょうどあなたが安全に保つために、私の信仰、赤ん坊を捨てますよ**

* * *

 **Terra City Army Base**

Drake scowled as he made out the incoming tanks. Yeah. Now he could see them. And they were definitely the Onyx. And in the hatch sat a man he had seen only once: Jason Abas. He had met the man once before, and his instinct had been to not trust him. And he could now see he was right.

The man was a member of the Order of Ragnarok.

"Shit!" Drake swore. "The cocksucker's an Orderly!"

"Huh?" Terra looked at him, confusion on her face. "You know that man?"

"Met him once before this whole damn incident went down seven years back," the master sergeant replied. "He just gave off a creepy aura, and my gut told me to not trust him. Guess I was right!" His eyes narrowed as he peered through the scope of the rocket launcher. "But what is he thinking, standing on top of the tank like that?"

Terra shrugged from her position and returned her gaze to the tanks. "Think we should go for it?"

 _ **Don't you know you're everything I have?**_

 **あなたは私が持っているすべてのものをしているか分からないのですか？**

"Nah. Wait for it..." Drake murmured.

Terra's eyes narrowed and she clenched her finger on the trigger. She hesitated, and her eyes flicked back to Drake. "Orderly?" she asked.

"One of the Order of Ragnarok. And from the looks of things, I'd say he's got a mission in mind. Remember that the Order espouses returning to a simpler time, a time where we live in tribes and act as savages and scavengers. They don't want our civilization to rebuild, because to them, civilization is a mark of evil. And they only want the most basic of instincts within us to thrive. They want us to survive, not live. That is their philosophy, and we can't let that happen!" Drake hissed. "I've fought against them in the Unification, so I know how they think. And it is not what we need. Not what the world as a whole needs. Because if we as humans go back to such a time, then we're only proving Ho-oh right. And believe me, that is the last thing we want, soldier!"

Terra's eyes flew wide as Drake explained things to her, and it all seemed to make sense now.

What they and what the Order wanted were two different futures. And the Order was anything but sane.

That alone was enough to harden her resolve.

 _ **And I, wanna live, not just survive, tonight**_

 **そして私は、したいだけでは生き残れない、生きて、今夜**

She narrowed her eyes and she placed her face against the scope, her heart burning with a desire to prevent such a future from coming to pass. As she held the trigger, she felt something warm pulsing around her neck, but she brushed it aside. Her mind locked onto the target and she swore for a moment she saw a targeting reticle in her vision, flashing bright bluish white. She had no idea that the Heart, sensing her resolve, was sending her strength, as it had with Drake.

Without even waiting a second longer, she pulled the trigger and the ATGM leapt from its launcher, roaring as it did so. The missile acquired a bright blue aura as Terra lowered the launcher; the ATGM rocketed towards one of the two tanks, and with a resounding explosion struck it dead on. The fireball erupted with a flash of blue-reddish orange energy, forcing both Marines to duck down as the wind crossed their path. Terra covered her ears with her hands and kept her mouth open to equalize the pressure, as did Drake. The pressure wave died down, and they slowly poked their heads up, staring at the damage done.

The tank before Jason's was a mess, with the front end completely left open by the rocket. To be honest, Drake hadn't expected Terra to use an attack like the one he witnessed. But he forced it from his mind as he grabbed his bazooka and prepared to fire it.

It wasn't a very big one, like so many others. In fact, it was a smaller, one-man version of the current M243 "Ledian" bazooka currently in use. This one was dubbed the MC235 "Ledyba" due to its small size. It could also fire a variety of grenades.

 _ **Sometimes to win, you've got to sin**_

 **時には勝つために、あなたは罪を持っています**

Drake held his breath as the tank moved into position, only to halt his efforts at targeting. His keen hearing was picking up another sound, and he didn't like it one bit. He suddenly grunted as he clasped a hand to his head, his crystal flaring briefly as he sensed the emotions roiling in the tanks coming up. The emotions he sensed made him sick to his stomach and he gritted his teeth. ' _So that's it, huh? Think you're so superior? Well, think again, Orderlies!_ ' he thought.

* * *

Adam paused, inclining his head in confusion. The Lord had called to him to stop. But why?

He raised the radio. "All units, cease advance," he said calmly.

The other tanks radioed in and he closed his eyes, feeling for the Lord with his divine sense. He was close by, for he could sense His presence. But...

Something else was there. He didn't know what it was, and it worried him. Was the Lord plotting something? If so, he wished to know so he could execute His master's wishes.

' _My Lord, why haven't you informed your disciple about this change in plans? I only wish to carry out your Lord's wishes..._ ' he thought. He raised his rosary beads, listening for His words of wisdom.

But nothing was present. Was his Lord up to something?

If so, what was it?

 _ **Don't mean I'm not a believer**_

 **私は信者じゃないという意味ではありません。**

His eyes suddenly snapped open as his Lord whispered in his ear. "DAMN!" he swore. "An ambush!"

He reached for the radio, only to stop as he heard the shriek of a missile and then Lazarus's tank went up in smoke and flames. He couldn't see his other disciple, and that worried him. He felt not his Lord's wisdom, but something more, stirring inside of him. He closed his eyes and reached for a syringe of the Divine Potion his Lord had ordered him to take. He jabbed the needle into his arm and he felt the power surging through his body. Now he was ready, and he could see more all around him.

"There!" he barked.

 _ **And major Tom, will sing along**_

 **そして主要なトム、一緒に歌うだろう**

His finger aimed at the man and woman in hiding, and they both turned and bolted.

* * *

Drake yelled as he and Terra ran for it, their feet pounding the ground and his crystal hummed with energy. They needed to get away, but unfortunately he couldn't use the teleportation ability the Heart had granted him as it was only for one use. He gritted his teeth as he turned, grabbing Terra's arm and swinging her behind him as he aimed the bazooka and pulled the trigger, firing in an attempt to at least try to slow the beast of a tank down, or force it onto one of the landmines around the compound.

"Shit!" he yelled, tossing aside the bazooka once the grenade was fired. The shaped charge exploded against the tank's armor, but didn't do much against it. However, the suddenness of the attack prompted Jason to peel off, heading right into the minefield.

A savage grin crossed his face. "That fucker's in for it now!"

"Better hope so," Terra remarked. "We're out of ammo."

Drake nodded. "I know. But better to get him out than not at all."

She pursed her lips, but nodded in response to his statement.

 _ **Yeah, they still say I'm a dreamer**_

 **ええ、彼らはまだ私は夢想家だと言います**

The flash and explosion of the mines caught them off guard and they were forced back by the blast wave, both of them crying out as they went rolling along the desert sand, coming to a stop close to one of the memorial cities that still lay in ruins. Drake grunted as he sat up, rubbing his forehead and looked around. His eyes widened as he realized where they were.

"Shit..." he muttered. "This is not good at all!"

"Why?" Terra groaned as she rolled onto her stomach and got to her knees. A quick glance around and she realized what he meant. "Oh."

"This is why I tried to get in to talk to the top brass!" Drake said as he looked at her. "We can't have a base close to this place! The Supreme Warlord will have a fit if this place is damaged!"

"Not like nature has already done so?" Terra asked as she got to her feet and helped pull him to his feet as well. "And he's not complaining to nature, is he?"

"Natural consequences are different compared to man-made damage," Drake told her. "The natural erosion will take years. Man made carnage will only hasten its demise, and we want it to stick around as long as possible, not as short as possible!"

She fell silent at his words.

 _ **They say before you start a war**_

 **あなたは戦争を始める前に、彼らは言います**

The two Marines turned and ran, trying to get away from the memorial city in case the tanks came their way. But they needn't have worried. One tank was down, and another had a track blown off by a Shuckle antitank mine. That left only three to deal with, and they had no idea where they were. That left them at a disadvantage, and there was no way they could use the ruined city to their advantage because it was a memorial to the dead.

So they were out of options and out of luck.

Or were they?

Drake narrowed his eyes as he tried to figure out a plan, but there was nothing that came to mind. He gritted his teeth and punched one of the old cars on the outskirts of the city. "Dammit! We just had to get ourselves into a tight spot!" he grumbled.

Terra's hand suddenly closed on his arm and he yelped as she dragged him across the desert sand to the city itself, and he struggled to pull away from her. But she had a firm grip on his hand. "C'mon!" she barked.

 _ **You better know what you're fighting for**_

 **あなたはより良いあなたが戦っているか知っています**

He tried to protest. "Hell no, soldier!" he remarked, pulling his arm free from her with a tug. She staggered and looked back at him.

"Got any other plans then, _sir_?" she hissed, her green eyes flashing. "Look! We're sitting ducks and right now this city is our only bet at staying alive!"

"But we can't damage it! Nor can we fight in there without the proper gear, which, need I remind you, we lost when the Jeep exploded!" Drake snarled, his eyes blazing with anger.

"Just listen!" Terra pleaded. "I have a plan!"

"Yeah? What? Let us die in there?!" Drake roared.

Terra was about to protest when she was cut off by a loud roar as a shell struck the ground just meters from their location. The two Marines turned and ran down the street, right into the depths of the ruined city. Drake was regretting this, but it did seem like the best place to hide.

And, later, a place to launch an ambush on the tanks...

 _ **Well baby, you are all that I adore**_

 **赤ちゃんだけでなく、あなたは私が崇拝することがすべてです**

* * *

Adam sneered as his tank, well, his second in command's tank really, rumbled into the city, the turret aimed straight ahead. He could see their tracks in the sand that whipped through these deserted streets. It was a perfect place to launch an ambush, he realized, with all the damaged buildings and hiding spots. Just perfect for them to ambush those two foolish soldiers.

His eyes roved over the city, trying to find them. And a new problem reared its ugly head.

Not only was it a good spot for ambushes, but it also offered concealment for their prey. And that only made things more difficult. The tanks they hijacked were only good as long as their fuel held out, and that meant that they could only search a part of the vast city that once thrived here. And the buildings in their current state offered plenty of cover for the soldiers, so it would take close to months to root them out, and they didn't have the time or manpower to hunt in each and every building.

Their best bet was to try and destroy as much of the city as possible to wipe them out.

Adam barked an order to the tank drivers and they proceeded to start rumbling down the streets, heading for the most damaged buildings to wipe out first.

His head buzzed with the Potion's effects and he closed his eyes, expanding his divine sense to search them out.

 _ **If love is what you need, a soldier I will be**_

 **愛はあなたが必要なものであれば、兵士は私は次のようになります**

* * *

The two Marines ducked away from the window, feeling their hearts pounding as the cold night air bit into their flesh. Drake looked down at the street below them and scowled. "Well, we lost them, but now we're stuck here. And we have no way to fight back. Plus, they'll destroy this place looking for us."

Terra nodded. "Yes. And... I know you're gonna scream at me, but... it was all I could think of..." she muttered.

Drake was tempted to, he realized, but he just couldn't. He had no idea why. Plus, now that he thought about it, the city was big, which meant that it would take those guys hours to try and find them. But if they did destroy the city, it wouldn't be as bad, but the warlord would have a fit if the city lost even part of the old buildings. Frankly, it wasn't a risk he was willing to take.

But they had no options of fighting back. They were out of ammo and-

He suddenly grunted as a sharp pain flitted through his head as his hand landed on one of the desks where one of the skeletons in this room lay, and he closed his eyes as his crystal flared for a brief moment.

Within his mind's eye, he could see something burning, and it was splattered on some kind of vehicle before it faded and his mind registered a word before the vision abruptly faded. His eyes snapped open and he panted, finding himself soaked with a layer of sweat, his chest heaving. ' _What... was that?_ ' he thought to himself in confusion. He barely registered Terra calling out to him, but he was too busy focusing on the vision and what it meant. He knew he had seen something like that before in old books, and the word was fleeting, but...

"Sir!"

 _ **I'm an angel with a shotgun**_

 **私は散弾銃を持つ天使です**

He snapped his gaze over to Terra. "What?!" he barked.

She merely pointed out the window and the master sergeant grumbled as he stalked over, looking down at the tanks circling the area. "Dammit!" he muttered.

His eyes narrowed, the vision still in his mind's eye. He had seen that somewhere before. He was sure of it. And cocktail... what did it have to do with... the burning... fluid...

He didn't know why he had forgotten about it, but he had. And now that he thought about it, the vision actually made sense. The burning liquid... it was fuel. Or alcohol, of which there was no doubt plenty in the old beer houses in this city. And the cocktail bottles... it made perfect sense! There _was_ a way they could fight back, and it was located within the city itself! They could use the buildings' height to their advantage by hurling-

He was cut off in his thoughts as he registered Terra suddenly yanking him back by the back of his uniform and the two Marines landed on the ground as bullets shattered the remaining glass where they had been mere seconds ago.

 _ **Fighting til' the wars won**_

 **勝った戦争 'ゴマファイティング**

Drake sat up, looking back at his fellow Marine and subordinate. "T-Thanks..." he rasped, rubbing his chest. She merely nodded and turned her gaze back to the window, peering out at the ground where the three tanks were now prowling around. A few Swellow and Pidgeot circled overhead, starting to anticipate the feast of bodies below.

"Dammit..." she muttered.

The master sergeant made his way over to the window and narrowed his eyes. "Looks like we're gonna have to get creative," he muttered grimly.

Terra blinked as she turned her gaze to him. "How so?" she asked.

A smirk crossed his face. "We have the materials needed all around us."

* * *

 **Auroros, Aurora**

 **Aurora Palace**

 **13 March, 7 YDR**

 **0000 hours**

The alarm blared on his PokéGauntlet as he groped for it in the darkness of his room.

His hand landed on it and he pulled it close as he sat up, rubbing his eyes as the last vestiges of sleep fled his brain. A yawn escaped his throat as he opened his eyes all the way.

Spray pressed the comm button and the screen lit up. "What's the big idea calling me at..." He checked the time. "...midnight?"

The commander of the base outside Terra City bowed his head. " _I apologize, sir, but it's urgent. We just got wind of five tanks that were hijacked by Order of Ragnarok remnants, and they chased two of our Marines into the memorial city. I fear that they may be planning to raze it to the ground to make a statement and kill the two soldiers,_ " he said.

Spray's eyes flew wide as adrenaline dumped itself into his body's systems. "What?!" he blurted. "You gotta be kidding me!"

He was out of bed in a flash and running to the desk in his room.

 _ **I don't care if heaven won't take me back**_

 **天は私を取り戻すしない場合、私は気にしません**

"Tell me everything that's happened thus far!" Spray ordered.

The commander nodded as he began to relay the story. " _It all started a few hours ago, around seven last night. The tank depot just outside Terra City was attacked and five tanks were hijacked. The security cameras were down, and the guards swore they didn't see anyone. Which leads me to conclude that they were observing and watching us for months or years to get an idea of patrol routes and where the guards would be, etc. It was well thought out, and executed with cold military precision._ "

"Then what?" Spray asked as he typed on the keyboard of his terminal as it flashed online.

" _Well, then we got wind of it from the warlord, and as a result, he ordered me to find and destroy these tanks and Orderlies. The only problem was they jumped two of our Marines who are now holed up in the memorial city. They managed to knock out two, but the other three followed them in. We haven't had any contact from them since,_ " the commander finished. " _I only can fear the worst at this point._ "

Spray shook his head. "Negative. The Crystal Aura readings indicate that they're still alive. Otherwise the crystal shards they carry would've gone dark." His eyes were hard as he placed a hand to his chin as he thought.

 _ **I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe**_

 **私はちょうどあなたが安全に保つために、私の信仰、赤ん坊を捨てますよ**

" _That may be true, but you know how long it takes._ " And Spray did know. He gritted his teeth before he brought up another function on his terminal and started typing rapidly.

"It is true I do know. But they are still alive. And if anything, something tells me that they may be able to win this. If they find the right resources in the city," he said.

The commander's eyes flew wide. " _What resources?_ "

 _ **Don't you know you're everything I have?**_

 **あなたは私が持っているすべてのものをしているか分からないのですか？**

* * *

 **Memorial City Theros**

The corporal blinked as her superior dumped the last bit of oil into the container and proceeded to stuff a rag down into it. She looked at the piles of canisters they had managed to rig, and back at him.

"Molotov cocktails?" she asked.

"Best bet we got so far," Drake admitted. "And if we use them right, we can lure the tanks out of the city and back towards the base where the antitank mines can disable them."

Terra's eyes widened as she finally grasped his plan. It wasn't to destroy the tanks in the city, but to rather lure the tanks out and away from it! A smirk crossed her face. "Now I get it, sir!" she remarked.

Drake grinned. "Good. Now help me finish making these things and then we can begin!"

She nodded and they proceeded to finish their work.

 _ **And I, wanna live, not just survive, tonight**_

 **そして私は、したいだけでは生き残れない、生きて、今夜**

It didn't take them long and within half an hour they were set. Drake stood up with his rucksack loaded with them, and Terra carried a cooler filled with them. The two Marines charged out of the wine cellar and into the streets, the three tanks further ahead of them.

Drake gripped the lighter he had found in an old apartment and whistled harshly.

The tank closest to them pivoted its turret and aimed at him.

He flicked on the lighter and touched it to the rag, lighting it. He shut the lighter off and with a good windup, he lobbed the cocktail right for the tank, shattering the bottle and splattering the liquid inside on its chassis and setting the front on fire. The driver must've panicked because the tank reversed course and the two Marines gave chase, running after and tossing cocktail after cocktail against the tanks or close to them, herding them towards the outskirts of the city, and the base perimeter.

 _ **Oh, oh whoa whoa oh whoa**_

 **おっああおっおっああ、ああ**

Terra and Drake weren't sure how they managed to do it, but somehow they did as they led the tanks away from the city and out into the desert where the base lay. Apparently the one in charge of the operation had considered them a threat, and it showed as the tank in front of them opened up again, forcing the two to leap behind some rocks.

Drake swore loudly in Ransian as he grabbed the last of the cocktail bottles before throwing it and turning, running as fast as he could through the desert sand. The city was now well behind them and they could see the perimeter of the minefield coming up. The bad news was that they couldn't outrun the tanks, one of which was burning heavily and the other two still mostly intact.

Thankfully though help was on the horizon.

 _ **I'm an angel with a shotgun**_

 **私は散弾銃を持つ天使です**

* * *

 **Auroros, Aurora**

 **Aurora Palace**

Spray's eyes widened as he observed the fight via the real time sat footage. "So that's it..." he breathed. "Molotov cocktails..."

The sudden blaring of the alarm caught his attention and he watched as the satellite literally jetted out of the way of a blast of orange energy, barely missing it as another defunct satellite spiraled down out of control towards the planet below. The cloaked Ransian spy satellite observed the image of Raquayza flying past, seeking out any human built objects in his domain.

"Man... I'm sure glad the tech boys came up with that Light Screen reflective plating," he muttered.

All current satellites in orbit were covered by that same reflective plating, effectively hiding them from Raquayza's keen eyesight. Well, not totally, as two had been incinerated in the last three years, but that time span gave him hope that sooner or later all satellites for humanity would be kept hidden with newer stealth coating technology.

 _ **Fighting til' the wars won**_

 **勝った戦争 'ゴマファイティング**

His mind flitted back to the situation at hand as the satellite returned its gaze down to the ground below and his eyes narrowed as he punched the desk. "Shit!" he swore, seeing the two Marines weren't able to outrun the tanks. His mind raced as he tried to come up with a solution to their problem. "Dammit...!" he muttered. "We just can't launch a missile directly into the heart of our own territory, because it would really disrupt things! But I can't just let them die..."

Spray's eyes flicked over to a special code written on a piece of paper and he shuddered at the mere thought of inputting the launch code for a tungsten kinetic bombardment. He didn't want to have to do it, but...

A sudden flash on the main monitor caught his attention and he looked up, a smile crossing his face and a laugh escaping his throat. He punched the air in major relief.

 _ **I don't care if heaven won't take me back**_

 **天は私を取り戻すしない場合、私は気にしません**

* * *

Drake turned back as the tanks drew closer and closer, and beside him Terra was panting heavily. Both Marines were nearing the end of their endurance, and they nearly collapsed. Terra grabbed Drake's hand and she brought him down with her as they fell onto their stomachs, sweat running down their bodies in rivers.

"Dammit...! Killed by a bunch of Orderlies..." she gasped.

Drake nodded, feeling his heart racing double time. "Yeah. But we did our damn best..." he added, smiling genuinely at her.

She returned it, and both braced for the impact of a tank shell.

Only to suddenly yelp as two sets of arms wrapped around their bodies and yanked them up and away from the area of impact as the gun roared, the shell slamming into the ground mere seconds later. Drake felt his body straining before his savior came to a stop, hovering over the battlefield, eyes gazing down at him. Only now did Drake realize that the arms wrapped around him were metallic in nature and he could sense the pulsing of a crystal energy core in the armored chest behind him. He struggled to turn, but a voice spoke harshly near his ear. "Don't move so much!" the GUNDAM snapped, his eyes hard. "Ya think it's easy?!"

A chuckle escaped Drake. "Sorry, James," he remarked. "Old habits die hard."

 _ **I'm an angel with a shotgun**_

 **私は散弾銃を持つ天使です**

James "Jimmy" Drake snorted as he grasped his younger brother in his arms turned to look down at the tanks as the Steelix MBTs began to move out and surround them.

" _Okay, boys! Prepare to move in and lure the Onyx tanks towards the minefield! We gotta take them out without killing the crews!_ " the voice of Commander Arnold Keswick barked over the radio.

Drake just about burst out laughing. He knew that old Arnie was a man to be reckoned with, and his ability to command tanks on the battlefield was second to none, only surpassed by their legendary mechanized warfare expert. But it was his skill in moving tanks that made him so formidable. The five Steelix tanks crept up towards the Onyx tanks as they turned and prepared to fire again. The tanks fired their 120mm main guns, their rounds barely missing the Onyx tanks and driving them back towards the minefield.

 _ **Fighting til' the wars won**_

 **勝った戦争 'ゴマファイティング**

The first Onyx tank entered the minefield, and as it happened, the M29 "Shuckle" antitank mine beneath its tread registered the pressure passing the threshold and within seconds, the firing mechanism was triggered by the belleville spring, flipping the firing pin downwards into the stab detonator and setting off the adjacent booster charge and main explosive filling. The blast shattered the mine, and at the same time, damaged the tank's tread, leaving it vulnerable for a second blast from the MC29 antitank mine next to it.

The pulse did the job of stopping the Onyx's engine entirely, and the second Onyx suffered the same fate from another pulse mine. The third however, simply stalled, its engine empty from constant use of fuel, as well as a leak generated by the missile fired by Terra mere hours ago.

The crews attempted to bail out, but it was futile.

Jimmy landed with his younger brother in his arms before letting him go and the two turned to observe the scene before them.

Then it all went to Hell.

 _ **I don't care if heaven won't take me back**_

 **天は私を取り戻すしない場合、私は気にしません**

* * *

Adam hissed as he popped the hatch for his tank and bailed out, running for it.

His heart pounded double time in his chest as he slipped past the first line of guards as they swarmed the tanks, capturing his disciples and imprisoning them within their sickening vehicles. His injection of the Divine Potion was giving him a temporary boost to his divine sense, and he used it well as he spun around, grasping the gun he had stolen from the tank's arms stash. He pulled the trigger and one Marine went down with a gunshot wound to the leg.

He pulled it again and the second was killed with a shot to the neck.

But one of them charged for him, this one with blonde hair and deep brown eyes, his crystal shard pulsing brightly in the darkness of the morn.

"You bastard!" he cried, his hand flying for his knife and drawing it out. "Don't you fucks give a shit for any of the lives you take?!"

 _ **I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe**_

 **私はちょうどあなたが安全に保つために、私の信仰、赤ん坊を捨てますよ**

"What does it matter, fool?!" Adam crowed. "This world is not worthy to live!"

"Yeah?! Well I beg to differ!" the Marine hissed, his eyes hard. "And you have a lot to pay for, you sick bag of shit!"

Adam cackled as he held out his gun. "Then come, fool! Let me show you the power of my divinity!"

"That's what they all say!" one of the monstrous GUNDAMs yelled. "And look at where it got you, Orderly!"

Adam didn't even pay attention as he charged at the Marine in front of him, his fist drawn back for a blow. But the Marine dodged and whipped his body around, slashing with his knife.

 _ **Don't you know you're everything I have?**_

 **あなたは私が持っているすべてのものをしているか分からないのですか？**

Adam blocked the slash with his gun and punched the Marine in his chest, but he only staggered back under the force of the blow. The Marine brought up his foot and spun around in a roundhouse kick, his boot slamming into Adam's jaw and sending the man sprawling. But the influence of the Divine Potion allowed him to stagger back to his feet, albeit a bit slower. Its influence was starting to wane, he noted. He had to finish this and quick before he died and was brought before the Lord for Judgment.

He charged at the man and slammed the gun into his lower torso, but the Marine grabbed his hands and twisted them away so that when he pulled the trigger, the bullet went sideways, hitting the side of one of the Steelix tanks and bouncing off into the desert sand. The Marine then twisted the gun out of his grasp and tossed it aside, along with his knife.

Perfect! Adam smirked. Things were turning in his favor.

 _ **(I'm an angel with a shotgun)**_

 **（私は散弾銃を持つ天使です）**

* * *

Drake grunted as he stared Jason down.

He could sense the bloodlust and certainty of final death due to his crystal, but something didn't seem right here. It also seemed like his emotions were stronger... Almost like they were... enhanced somehow...

His mind suddenly clicked and he gasped, realizing what this meant.

In the aftermath of the Unification, the Order of Ragnarok unveiled a new drug they had created by using methamphetamines and aurite in a very dangerous cocktail. They had dubbed it the Divine Potion, because when ingested with meth, it offered a temporary boost to not only intelligence, but also strength, endurance, senses, and reflexes, as well as agility and speed. It even granted dulled versions of psychic powers, but at a cost: the cocktail was so dangerous, it was only used as a last resort by the Order and their followers.

The only way to prevent the user from dying was to put them in cryogenic stasis, a recent science that was just coming into existence.

 _ **And I, want to live, not just survive, tonight**_

 **そして私は、ただ生きていけない、生きたい、今夜**

He gritted his teeth as he punched his fist into an open palm. "Okay, Jason Abas!" he hissed. "Bring it on!"

Jason hissed as if he had been burned and recoiled. "The name is not Jason Abas, mortal fool! My real name is Adam! The Lord said so himself!"

"What are you talking about!? Your name isn't Adam!" Drake snapped. "You're nuts to believe some story they told you!"

Jason cackled madly. "No, fool! The Lord told me! And I believe His words!"

Drake gritted his teeth as he felt the Heart's anger pulse in the crystal shard he wore around his neck. He hissed as he realized what needed to be done. He crouched down low, his muscles tensing like a coiled spring ready to strike.

 _ **(Live, not just survive)**_

 **（ライブだけではなく、生き残ります）**

"Fine!" he growled. "But you... are Jason Abas, no matter what!"

And with a roar, he charged at Jason/Adam, driving a powerful haymaker right into his jaw and sending the man sprawling, his eyes rolling back into his head. Jason/Adam was out cold. He grabbed Jason and hauled him to his feet. "Get him outta here and back into the base!" he ordered. "We gotta get him in cryo, stat!"

 _ **And I'm gonna hide, hide, hide my wings tonight**_

 **そして、私は、つもり隠すよ隠し、私の翼今夜を隠します**

* * *

 **1400 hours**

Jason lay in the cryo pod, a gas mask slapped on over his face and his chest rising and falling slowly. Drake watched him with a bit of concern. The use of their illegal and deadly mixture always worried him, and he wondered why they would even dare to generate such a drug cocktail to begin with.

The door to the room's observation deck slid open and Arnie walked in, a look of remorse and pain on his face.

"Kid had a bright future ahead of her..." he muttered.

 _ **They say before you start a war**_

 **あなたは戦争を始める前に、彼らは言います**

Drake nodded, feeling numb. "I know... Just wish I coulda killed this bastard ahead of time..."

Arnie merely placed a hand on Drake's shoulder. "It's war. What can you do?"

"I know. I just... I just wish we could at least keep these guys under control better..." Drake muttered. "Damn Orderlies..."

 _ **You better know what you're fighting for**_

 **あなたはより良いあなたが戦っているか知っています**

The death of Terra Jackson really struck him hard. She wasn't even wounded, so there was no way to bring her back as a GUNDAM Soldier. Even the Heart of Ransei couldn't bring back the dead. Drake knew that all too well, as his mother hadn't been able to be saved when the last terrorist attack struck his home town and left 150 dead, one of which was his mother. His father had been distraught for days, pleading with the Heart to bring her back.

Alas, it just wasn't possible.

 _ **Well baby, you are all that I adore**_

 **赤ちゃんだけでなく、あなたは私が崇拝することがすべてです**

All they could do was continue to fight, and remember those who died.

Drake was gonna finish what Jason/Adam had started, and end this war. But on the side of Ransei.

 _ **If love is what you need, a soldier I will be**_

 **愛はあなたが必要なものであれば、兵士は私は次のようになります**

After all, they were angels with shotguns. And angels with shotguns kept on fighting, because they sure as hell knew what they were fighting for.


	16. XCMG174 Signal Beam

**File # 015**

 **XCMG174 "Signal Beam" Assault Rifle**

 **Type:** Assault rifle

 **Weight:** 3.26 kg (unloaded) 3.99 kg (loaded)

 **Length:** 1003 mm

 **Barrel Length:** 508mm

 **Cartridge:** 5.56x45mm

 **Rate of Fire:** 12–15 rounds/min sustained  
45–60 rounds/min semi-automatic  
700–950 rounds/min cyclic

 **Muzzle Velocity:** 948 m/s

 **Effective Firing Range:** 550 m (point target); 800 m (area target)

 **Maximum Firing Range:** 3,600 m

 **Feed System:** 20-round detachable box magazine (96 g empty; 335 g full)  
30-round detachable box magazine (117 g empty; 480 g full)  
Beta C-Mag 100-round double-lobed drum (1000 g empty; 2180 g full)

 **Sights:** Iron sights

 **Manufacturer:** Aurora Defense Co.

* * *

 **NOTES**

Ransian firearms are some of the best when it comes to durability and reliability.

Yet some of them are not as good as others.

But out of all of them, the best gun is perhaps the XCMG174 "Signal Beam" Assault Rifle.

Designed for the regular army, it has actually become something of a military and civilian firearm due to how durable and reliable it can be in harsh conditions. Of course, to even have such a weapon in the hands of civilians is a risk, but due to the circumstances, the risk is considered negligible in the short term. The XCMG174 is a prototype weapon in that it uses a special bullet infused with aurite, which has been proven to be at least somewhat effective against Ghost Types, which most attacks will not phase due to their being composed of mostly energy. Gastly are the most common to be in trouble with, as their gaseous state makes it almost impossible to hit them.

The energy emitted by the aurite contained within the bullets is enough to disrupt the electromagnetic energies the Gastly use to hold themselves together, but it requires repeated rounds to be fired at the Ghost-type, and although Gastly can be defeated by high winds, it is mostly inside old buildings that these rounds are highly effective. Even so, the rounds only emit enough to cause the energy composing the gas cloud we know as Gastly to waver or drift apart enough before it reforms.

The gun's magazines come in three types, ranging in number of bullets from 20 to 30 rounds in box mags to a drum mag holding 100 rounds. The rate of fire is also incredibly high depending on the setting. Sustained firing only lets out 12-15 rounds per minute while semi-automatic can fire 45-60 rounds in a minute. Cyclic mode is the most lethal, spitting out rounds at an incredible rate of 700 to 950 rounds a minute. Of course, for that kind of firepower, the gun has to be fed from a box mag attached to the user's side, which makes that modification limited only to GUNDAM mechs and femmes. The name Signal Beam comes from the fact that the aurite in the rounds makes it seem like a beam is being fired from the barrel, depending on what firing setting the gun is set to.

The success rate for hitting Ghost-types is limited, mostly to a 45% success rate with current aurite levels in the rounds, making it necessary to have additional backup measures needed. Although recent research suggests it could be possible to develop a new type of round, it has been shot down by the Supreme Warlord as being too far fetched at the current time. But he does agree that the potential for new weapons is something to consider, especially given the recent arrival of a new ally into the midst of the Human-Legendary Coalition: the recently discovered Alola region.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Have to say, despite the lack of real success against Ghost Types, the XCMG174 is still a useful weapon when used against standard raiders and other Pokémon." - Second Lieutenant Carina Hochberg, Company B, 14th Marine Battalion, 34th Marine Division

"The Banette are the worst. I admit that without the XCNG174, we'd be screwed over." - Sergeant Major Lin Xu, Company A, 15th Assault Battalion, 167th Rangers

"Damn Ghosts just don't know when to quit!" - Private Marina Lange, Company G, 13th Battalion, 135th Airborne, Third Avia Airborne Brigade (Fort Avios)

"The XCMG174 we thought would be effective against Ghost-Types. I guess it is, but not as effective as we'd hoped." - Jessika Hummel, Yaksha Engineering, Inc. R&D Weaponry Division

"Damn thing just messes up the Gastly. No real killing. Well, against ghosts what else is new?" - First Lieutenant Erik Mäkinen, Company B, 14th Marine Battalion, 34th Marine Division

* * *

 **14th October, 6 YDR**

 **Kanto Airspace**

 **2200 hours**

The interior of the "Drifblim" transport plane was a mass of crowded soldiers, Pokémon, and GUNDAM as they gathered around the exit ramp at the rear of the plane. The Marine in front of the group had a dead serious expression on his face as he looked the men and women, mechs and femmes, and two Arcanine, up and down. His eyes were hard as he shifted, his bulky frame taking up a good portion of the interior space, but not too much; he was glad his frame was at five feet in height compared to the huge mech at the back of the group: that guy's frame was a staggering eight feet in height, so he had to crouch to avoid banging his head.

"Okay, people. Here's the deal!" he called over the roar of the engines. "We're approaching the spot the intel said the camp was. Now, I'm sure most of you already know this, but for those of you who don't, and I'm sure there are, then here's the situation. The brass wants us to go in and help get a refugee camp out of the dire strait they're in. Now why would we do that? It's simple: these guys are being harassed constantly by not just wild Hostiles, but also raiders, bandits, and marauders who were, believe it or not, once Kantoian Marines. After shit hit the rotors five years ago, the Marines here turned on the populace in a bid for survival, and many of them became bandits and marauders. The loss of any and/or all military might in this region led to the state it's in now, although the government is making attempts to reclaim the region. So we should be glad for that. The only problem is the region is cut off due to a lack of power. So that's where we come in, troops: our objective is to take the Power Plant back from those Wild Hostiles, and hopefully also get the refugees some power as well, considering how their camp is not too far from it.

"Initial estimates a few years back stated it was at 12,000 men, women, children, and tame Pokémon holed up there. More recent, and more accurate, assessments put the total at much lower numbers, with, at the most, four thousand souls remaining in the camp." First Lieutenant Erik Mäkinen narrowed his intense green eyes as he paused to let the information sink in. "A lot of those people are primarily children and teens, being watched over by older adults in their sixties and seventies. Not very conducive to a defensive operation. Most of the younger people are missing and/or dead, either killed or taken by Pokémon or marauders. So our mission is twofold: get them supplied with power, and get them into a more trustworthy situation with us, or rather, with Marines in general."

A woman raised her hand. "Sir, I take it that they lack faith in the military and humanity as a whole due to the actions of Kanto's Marines?" she asked.

Erik nodded. "Yes. So we have to be ready to prove to them this once and for all: that humanity is not as bad as they think, and that people are still fighting out there."

The troops nodded.

Erik turned to the pilot and rapped on the cockpit door. "Get ready!" he barked at them.

The pilots started to put the plane into a shallow dive in response, and he turned back to the group of Marines huddled in the plane. "You know the drill, boys and girls! So check your gear and get ready!"

The drop was a big risk at this time of night, as Zubat tended to be out and about. It made anyone not in a GUNDAM frame or clad in the Excalibur exosuit a tempting target, although the new armored uniform coming out was supposed to help with that, as well. But the uniform was not supposed to be out for another two years at best, according to the initial estimates. He brushed the thoughts from his mind though as he finally turned to the rest of his unit. "Everyone ready?" he asked.

"Sir, yes, sir!" they cried.

The pilots finally opened the bay doors and the wind whipped past them.

* * *

 **Refugee Camp Lavender Outskirts**

A lone light flickered and glimmered faintly in the darkness as a solitary figure crept through the brush surrounding the refugee camp. The woman cast her flashlight around, the dim yellow beam barely illuminating the dark shadows around her, scanning for any possible signs of life. The skinny Arcanine beside her struggled to stay with her, but it was just too weak to continue any further. The creature slumped down, moaning weakly and she came to a stop, sitting down beside her trustworthy friend and partner.

"Lucy..." she murmured. "It's okay... I'll try and find us some food..."

"Ar..." The Arcanine merely whimpered before closing her eyes and finally succumbing to her fate.

As soon as Lucy's last breath escaped her corpse, the woman closed her eyes and buried her head in her hands, sobbing as she sat beside her dead companion, unable to even continue on. She was dying herself, the same way as her faithful old friend. But humans took longer to starve. So she was sure she'd live a few days longer, or was it weeks? She didn't know anymore.

It was just so hard now... being without any power, and without anyone to really trust.

And it didn't help that the Marines had turned against the people of Kanto. Many of them were now marauders and bandits, looking to make either a quick buck or just being thieves and rapists. Her mother had been taken from them when she was fifteen, and her father was killed during a raid three months after. So now, she was alone and her beloved Pokémon died today. She was now truly alone.

No one back at the camp would blame her for wanting to die out here. Many of them did die and many just never came back. It seemed to her that no matter what, people were going to die. The End of Days had come, as some of her neighbors had claimed. And with the Marines going crazy in deserting and becoming bandits, marauders, slavers, and rapists, what few people survived in Kanto lost all trust in anyone wearing a military uniform, even if it was foreign.

It just seemed like the way the world was destined to be.

The sound of engines rocketing overhead caught her attention and her gaze snapped up to the large dark-grey colored cargo transport plane as it blasted over her head, forcing her to cover her face with her hands as the intense rumbling of the engines faded. She wondered briefly what the plane was even doing here to begin with, and if it was even friendly, which she doubted it was, considering the state of the armed forces and how other nations were not coming to their assistance. She lowered her hands and looked back up at it, narrowing her eyes as she tried to make out any markings. What she _did_ see though were some kind of blue energy lines snaking along the wings and sides of the craft, melding into the engine cowlings of the plane's prop-driven engines. What kind of a plane had those kinds of markings? And what did they mean?

She was so engrossed in the strange lines that she failed to notice the eight shapes drifting down towards the embattled refugee camp's perimeter.

* * *

First Lieutenant Erik Mäkinen narrowed his eyes as he felt the wind rushing past his armor and pulling against his wings. He arched his body and spread his wings to their fullest extent, followed by the three other GUNDAM on the unit. The mech activated his jets and angled his body so that way he was coming in for a landing. His feet touched down on the ground and he cut his engines, refolding his wings. The other mech and femmes did the same thing while the Excalibur-clad humans used their jetpacks to touch down without letting any possible intruders know they were there.

The Excalibur MKII exosuit was a drastic improvement over the original, changing out the spherical crystal core for a triangular shaped version that did not need bulky torso armor. The suit also had better thruster ports and upgraded armor plating, this time equipped with Light Screen plating to add stealth capabilities. The air filtration system was also markedly improved for longer time in toxic environments. It also made movement a lot easier.

Erik brushed the thoughts aside though, and grasped his XCMG174 "Signal Beam" assault rifle in his hands. He cast his gaze around, looking for anyone or anything that could be a threat to the mission or their presence. His second in command, Second Lieutenant Carina Hochberg, looked back at him, her grey-green eyes glinting in the light of the crystal embedded within the chest plate of her suit. "Sir? We got something!" she hissed as she gripped her own rifle and peered through the darkness a short moment later, the visor in her suit's helmet glinting with the telltale light of NV mode.

The first lieutenant cocked his head a bit, but brushed it aside as he too switched his optics to night vision. The entire area became lit with greenish light and he looked around, spotting the forms of his unit huddled behind the rocks and grasses of the area. But there was also something else not too far off. The thick mist surrounding the area made it worse, and he shuddered a bit. He hated this kind of situation as it rendered their normal visual sensors useless. Night vision made up for it somewhat, but not as much as infrared, which, unfortunately, right now they were forbidden from using until they had more of a reliable system to ID friendly Pokémon and humans. Ransian IFFs were not that reliable; yet, anyway.

He crept closer to the shape, his rifle held at the ready, only to hear the sobs of a woman.

Erik paused, his eyes locking onto the woman's form as it huddled, and he felt a pang of sympathy in his core as he saw how pitiful and frail she looked.

But what really got him was the sense of hopelessness in her eyes as she finally looked up, and despair flooded her features as she saw the mechs, femmes, men and women of Company B's Squad Alpha. Despite her weakened condition, she reacted surprisingly fast, scrambling to her feet and starting to run as fast as she could, desperate to avoid these new enemies. The mech held out a hand. "Wait!" he called harshly, but softly.

The woman didn't stop. She kept running, tripping over a few roots from the nearby trees growing near the riverside. The mech grumbled under his breath as he broke out into a run, trying to catch up to her. His feet crunched grasses and branches underfoot as the woman ducked into the trees before passing out of the brush into a large field of sorts. He skidded to a stop close to it, and his eyes widened at the sight.

The field was filled with tents, shanties, and shacks made out of metal, wood, and what bits of stone could be salvaged from the surrounding area. People and Pokémon alike strode through this small community, looking as every bit hopeless as the woman he had pursued here. They all looked to be incredibly thin and frail, their skin sagging on their nearly skeletal frames and their clothing looking way too baggy for their bodies. The Pokémon were not in much better shape, either. And all of them seemed to have a listless, almost depressed gaze in their big, gaunt eyes.

Erik crept out a bit, his frame tense as he wandered into the camp. He was alert for any hostile activities, but no one really seemed to pay him any attention. It was as if he were invisible if it wasn't for his optics glowing in the darkness of the camp. And yet, they still ignored him.

He hefted his rifle and took a step forward...

And his foot snapped a twig.

That small sound caught the attention of the entire camp and their eyes snapped up and over to his location. At once Erik felt thousands of eyes staring at him and he stepped back, instinctively raising his rifle to fire. Although he didn't make to fire, a few of the other people and Pokémon were glaring at him, making his core pound within his armored chest. ' _Okay... Maybe this wasn't such a good idea..._ ' he thought to himself as he gulped.

He took a step back, raising his rifle and holding his hands up in surrender. He hoped that his gesture would not be seen as hostile.

But it turned out that his action was indeed mistaken as hostile. Some people, mostly teens, grabbed some nearby guns and prepared to aim them, intent on killing and harming him. His core felt like it was gonna plummet down to where his stomach once had been, and he shivered a bit as he reached behind him for the "Flash" stun grenade he carried with him.

His hand curled around it and he pulled it loose, flicking the pin away as he slid it out with his thumb. The mech threw the grenade as hard as he could once the pin was removed and he turned and ran, dimming his optics as he ran. A loud bang startled the people of the camp and some Pokémon cried out as they tried to seek him out using means other than their eyes. Thankfully Erik was one step ahead though and he leapt into the air, transforming from GUNDAM shape to aircraft form and speeding out of there as fast as he could.

Or that was his intention, if he hadn't forgotten about the Ninjask not too far behind him. The next thing he knew, as soon as he leapt, his feet were bound up with silk strands from String Shot and his arms were pinned to his sides by the same silk. He landed on the ground, grunting as he wriggled against his bonds. "Dammit!" he muttered.

The grenade's light was starting to fade, and he shifted his optics from dim to filtered so he could see his captors clearly.

He could see two men approaching, and they held shotguns across their chests while the second man also had a saber in his belt loop. Beside them stood a hulking Machamp "Hold it right there!" the man with the sword hissed. "You aren't going anywhere..."

Erik was hauled to his feet by the Machamp and carried down to the closest shack, the light inside seeming to come from a candle or fire pit. The GUNDAM blinked his eyes as he tried to see if anyone else was there, but only shadows and darkened figures greeted his sight. He expanded his sensors' range, and he was able to detect five other individuals with him in the shack, aside from his captors. The two men stopped in front of one of these figures and knelt.

"Sir, we've got an outsider. Doesn't seem to be human or Pokémon," the first man said.

"Set him down. I'll deal with him," a deep voice muttered from the shadows. Erik felt his core leap into his throat and he gulped. He wasn't normally one to be afraid, but considering the circumstances, he had every right to be terrified out of his wits. The two men nodded and one of them turned back to the Machamp.

"Release!" he barked.

 _ **You missed my first step,**_  
 **あなたは、私の最初の一歩を逃しました**

The Pokémon unceremoniously dumped the bound GUNDAM onto the floor. Erik landed face down in the dirt, and he struggled to get to his knees, coughing and spluttering to get the dirt out of his faceplate and vents. He felt one of the individuals in front of him grasp him by his helm and lift up his head. He sensed the two men and Machamp leaving the room, closing the shack's ramshackle door behind them.

The man in front of him was clearly very grizzled and scarred on not just his face, but his body as well. His face had what appeared to be a permanent scowl, made evident by the scar on his left cheek. His chin was covered in stubble, and he had piercing grey eyes. His hair, a dark green in color, was all scraggly and messy, going down to his middle back and kept back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His tank top was stretched thin against his heavily scarred chest and shoulders, his hands being massive enough to hold his helm in one hand. His right hand, the free hand, was holding a machine gun in its grasp and he had it pointed right at the mech's face.

 _ **My first words, Dad.**_  
 **私の最初の言葉、お父さん。**

"Okay. Spill. Who are you? And what are you doing here?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes.

Erik for some reason found that he couldn't speak, and his core was pounding double time. He figured it had to be because of the gun aimed right at his face. He blinked and flicked his gaze back to his captor, then the gun.

The man frowned, but lowered it partially.

Erik cleared his throat and tried again. "I...I...Erik Mäkinen, First Lieutenant, serial number 4-4-2-2-0-5-7-6."

The man frowned a bit more. "Stubborn, huh?" he muttered. "Then again, I can't blame you marauder types. Still following military protocol, even after you turned against everything you believed in and swore to protect? That won't do you much good... you piece of filth. Trying to act so righteous, and then you go and steal the parents of these innocent children, and rape some of the girls here. Just like you." He spit at Erik, the glob of saliva hitting his forehead and his V-fin. Erik winced at that.

"Yeah. Wince and see how useless, how pathetic, and how savage you really are." The man stood up and let go of Erik's helm.

 _ **This house is filled with pictures of someone I never had.**_  
 **この家は、私が持っていなかった誰かの写真で満たされています。**

Erik hesitated, but then the man's words came rushing home in his memory banks and his eyes flashed with rage as he struggled against his bonds. "Wait one damn minute! What gives you the right to assume that all military personnel are like that?!" he blurted. "I for one am not a savage! And even if I were, I _can't_ rape any of the girls in this camp! I'm not even human!"

The man paused in his steps. "So? Doesn't mean a thing. You military types are all the same now."

The GUNDAM grunted as he strained against the silk binding his arms and legs. He focused on his core and felt a slight power drain as the energy was shunted to his hydraulics and systems. He began to push his arms outward, feeling the extra power from his core surging through his limbs, and the strands of silk began to break under the strain. "That's where you're wrong!" Erik cried, shoving his arms out to the side and breaking the silk strands with a loud _snap!_ He managed to push his legs apart as well, breaking the silk wrapped firmly around his feet. With a cry, he leapt to his feet and splayed his wings out to either side. "You're wrong on all counts, bastard!"

The man turned and looked over his shoulder. "You think so? Well, think again. Last few months military personnel have been coming here, marauding and raping to their hearts' content. They claimed to be fighting for our defense, but then they went and turned against us. Even the federal government admits that there is nothing they can do to contain the former Marines. It's a dog eat dog world out there now. And you think you can convince me otherwise? Well, think again!" The man turned and lunged for the mech, his gun flying free from its holster and aiming at his face.

 _ **I know I've known your voice.**_  
 **私はあなたの声を知っていた知っています。**

But Erik was one step faster and he whipped his hand around, grabbing the gun and pulling the barrel away from him and tackling the man to the ground, using his core-enhanced strength to pin the man down. "You don't get it! I'm not from Kanto!" he hissed. "I'm from Ransei!"

He shifted so that way the Ransian emblem on his right shoulder guard was visible and the man sneered. "So? That doesn't matter! All Marines are savages!"

Now Erik had had it. He stood up, pulling the man to his feet and hovering off the ground while holding him by his shirt. "What's the matter with you?! We've been fighting like maniacs to try and save other regions, spreading out and trying to get some sense of civil order restored to this hellhole of a world we live in! I've seen shit that you haven't, and you have the audacity to claim that all Marines are _savages_?!" he yelled.

He was so tempted to just kill the man with a well-placed blow to the neck, but his training and 'ethical programming' held him back. It wouldn't do anyone any good to find the leader of this camp dead by his hands. He was better than that. He sighed as he lowered the man to the ground. "Look. As much as I am tempted to kill you, I won't. It's not the right thing to do, and besides, we're better than that. To do so would be only proving Ho-oh right in that all humans are savages, and that is not what we want."

The man brushed off his shirt and straightened it out. "Feh. I don't even see how that deals with that all Marines are savages."

 _ **I think I know your smile.**_  
 **私はあなたの笑顔を知っていると思います。**

"That's just it. Not all Marines are like that," Erik explained as he hovered down. "In my country, things are different. We have a different code there than here. To Ransei Marines, it's about fighting for the defense of _our country_ , not for the Pokémon League. The Pokémon League trained and funded the Kanto Marines, yes, but they were never trained properly. We had several corps of Marines already and they were part of different kingdoms, but at least we had dedicated Marines. It's not about the Leagues. It's about one thing and one thing only: semper fi."

The man snorted. "Hardly here. The Kanto Marines were never faithful. I can see that now. And what makes you so sure Ransei Marines are not the same?"

Erik's green eyes hardened. "Because we never abandon others. And we never abandon those who need it the most."

* * *

The man and Erik finished their meeting an hour later, and by that point the others had converged on the camp, seeking their commanding officer. The mech emerged from the shack and the unit let out a sigh and a few relieved laughs as he stepped close to them. "Well, I have to admit, I wasn't expecting the guy to be a bit of a jackass; considering how he feels all Marines are savages though, I can't blame him."

"What did you two talk about?" Carina asked.

"He accused me of being a savage, but I did manage to convince him to let us prove that we are not like the Kanto Marines," Erik explained. "Tom Lindberg is his name, by the way."

 _ **Mommy says your clothes haven't smelled like your clothes in awhile.**_  
 **ママはあなたの服は、しばらくの間あなたの服のようなにおいがしましたしていないと言います。**

"So, how are we gonna do this? And what exactly are we doing?" one of the other soldiers, Sergeant Taro Schmitt, asked.

"Basically, Taro, we're gonna be getting power to this camp," Erik said. He knelt down and started to draw in the dirt with a stick he picked up. "The camp as you know is located close to the power plant, and is also near Lavender Town's remains. So what we're gonna do is split up the duties. Carina, you and Jonathan go to Lavender Town and see what you can root out about the populace and see if there are any survivors holed up there." He sketched a small diagram of the area and doodled a dotted line to represent the GUNDAM and human soldier going towards the square marked Lavender Town. "I'll take Taro and we'll try and get the power plant back online." He drew out the power plant and stabbed the stick a few times to represent him and the electrical expert. "Meanwhile the rest of you keep an eye on this camp and if any raiders or former Marines from Kanto try and get close, don't be afraid to open fire on them. Do _whatever_ it takes to keep them away from here! That is priority number two. Also, try and get the electrical equipment ready. Any wires or cables that can be found must be rerouted to the camp under any circumstances. _That_ is priority number one! Any questions?"

No one raised a hand.

Erik nodded. "Okay. Then let's go!"

The Marines split up into their assigned units, with Carina taking Private First Class Jonathan Bosch by air towards the remains of Lavender Town. Erik and Udo headed out from the camp by air as well while the others started getting to work on setting up a perimeter and scouting out for any electrical wiring to be used to power up the camp.

* * *

 **Kanto Power Plant**

 **Rte. 10**

 **15th October, 6 YDR**

 **0030 hours**

Erik grunted as he felt the rocks crunch beneath his heavy metal feet. "Dammit!" he muttered. The entire place was totally deserted, and no sign of human life could be picked up on his sensors. In fact, the only human present was Taro, but that was brushed aside as he expanded his sensors' range to maximum. His eyes hardened as his HUD displayed the surrounding terrain, smaller bluish red dots blipping as they moved around. The PokéDex function built into his processor ID'd the Pokémon as Pikachu, Magnemite, Magneton, Electrode, Voltorb, and Electabuzz, along with their move sets.

 _ **I know I've read all your letters that say how you're doin' it for me.**_  
 **私はあなたが私のためにそれをやっているかと言うすべてのあなたの手紙を読んで知っています** 。

"Shit!" he muttered. "Can't go any further."

" _Why, sir?_ " Taro asked over his comm. Erik stopped, confusing the private even further.

"You know the deal, Sergeant," Erik stated. "Due to my frame, I can't go near Electric-types. They could kill me by shorting out my circuits." He shrugged. "I'm afraid you're gonna be on your own, son."

Taro gulped. " _You want me to complete the mission?_ " he squeaked.

Erik nodded. "Yes, soldier! But don't worry. You got the training, and you have the best weapon for the job!"

The Terrera native looked down at his "Signal Beam" rifle uncertainly. " _Okay..._ "

 _ **And Mommy says how you're keepin' us safe even though it might not be easy to see.**_  
 **そして、ママは、あなたがそれを見ることは容易ではないかもしれないにもかかわらず、私たちは安全」キーピンているかを指定します。**

The first lieutenant looked at him. "Now go! I'll be here when you return!"

Taro turned and scurried into the brush surrounding the old power plant, his HUD displaying a map of the route and satellite imagery from the cloaked spy satellites in orbit over the planet. Personally he was grateful to whoever had suggested developing such technology, and it was something that Ransei didn't take for granted, seeing as how rare satellites in orbit were these days. It also helped that a special branch of the armed forces had been created to monitor and keep the satellites from being found or shot down: the Satellite Corps. Their job was to constantly adjust and track satellite orbits and to make sure that Raquayza didn't see them or find them, which was why there were two shifts dedicated to moving them around the planet at all times. He watched as the imagery fizzled a bit before shifting to a new angle, displaying the ruined power plant not too far from him.

He lifted up the visor in his helmet and he looked at the ruined facility beyond the brush.

 _ **We'll leave the light on until Daddy comes home.**_  
 **私たちは、パパが家に来るまでに光を残しておきます。**

The entire building looked as if it had been destroyed from the inside out by electrical attacks, with the roof mostly gone and half the windows blown out. The main entrance was a pile of rubble and one of the walls had a huge hole in it, exposing the interior to the outside elements. Trees and brush were already starting to reclaim the place, and he hoped against hope that the generators inside remained intact.

Hefting his rifle, Taro scrambled through the brush until he drew close to the destroyed building. A loud screeching came from not too far off and he spun around, spotting a large Fearow as it emerged from a bush, spreading its wings menacingly. It screeched its fury at him, and he felt fear flooding his very being. He had heard stories of the large Pokémon, and he remembered the first days of the Undampening, his memories of the big birds as clear as crystal. His hands clenched on his rifle and he raised it on sheer reflex, his training kicking in and time seeming to slow down. His blood rushing in his ears, his finger pulled the trigger and sent a three round burst for the Pokémon, striking it on the chest twice and the head once.

Time sped back up and Taro found himself panting, his skin sweaty beneath the Excalibur MKII exosuit's armor plating. The man reached up a hand and studied it, surprised it was shaking ever so slightly. He clenched his hand into a fist and lowered it, finally standing upright and running out of the brush towards the hole in the power plant's side.

 _ **We'll leave the light on for our soldier.**_  
 **私たちは、兵士のために光を残しておきます。**

He emerged into the facility, his eyes narrowed as he flipped down the visor of his helmet. He pressed the side of his helmet and the night vision function activated, switching his vision to pale green. He could vaguely see the shapes of the machines, most of them starting to become overgrown by the vegetation as it started to creep through cracks and holes in the walls, ceiling, and flooring. But, in spite of all that, some of them still flickered feebly with life, and a few wires hanging down sparked every now and then.

' _Huh. Looks like the place still has some power..._ ' Taro mused to himself as he started to venture deeper into the building. ' _Guess the generator survived._ '

He held his rifle at the ready, his blue eyes narrowed. Taro's eyes were hard as he scanned the interior hallway he was in. The darkness of the power plant made him shudder against his will as he reached up with a hand and pressed a button on the other side of his helmet. An infrared light built into the forehead of his helmet flipped up and turned on, its reddish beam panning about as he turned his head. He could see the machines now a bit clearer, and he switched off the night vision. He made sure to keep his visor down though.

Taro crept deeper into the facility, coming across a few skeletons as they lay in the middle of the hallway. He guessed that the Pokémon here had killed most of the staff before they had a chance to shut down the generator, which would also explain why the machines still worked, even though most of them were without power. He walked up to one of the non-working machines and pressed a few buttons; the device didn't activate. He frowned as he pulled his hand away from the machine and peered behind it. The beam of his light revealed the backside was mostly deteriorated from the water seeping through a crack just above it.

 ** _To remember all who've fallen, honor all who served._  
落ちてきたすべての人を覚えておくことが、務めすべての人を称えます.**

He backed away and resumed his journey into the bowels of the power plant. His suit's built-in radar was sending him signals for the different Pokémon lurking in the building, most of them just Voltorb, but he could also detect larger Electrode lurking further back. His eyes flicked left and right as he crept deeper within. Taro wondered if any other Pokémon were lurking here besides just Electric-types; the normal rules for Pokémon habitation seemed to have gone out the window ever since the Undampening.

His question was answered a moment later when his radar suddenly blared a warning and he leapt to the side just as a purple hand swiped through the air towards him. He brought his rifle to bear on the Haunter as it emerged from the wall, its eyes blazing. Taro's mind raced as he backed up, his body shaking. His HUD displayed the stats and info on the Ghost-type, and he gulped, feeling his heart racing double time in his chest. He raised his rifle, and pulled the trigger. The gunshots echoed throughout the power plant, and the muzzle flash was like a flare as it lit up the hallway. The bullets' dim blue light barely provided enough illumination, but that wasn't the point of this type of ammunition. It was designed to disrupt the electromagnetic energies of the Ghost-types.

 ** _The soldier's light will be lit and forever burn._  
兵士の光が点灯し、永遠に燃えされます.**

But, as Taro saw with dismay, the bullets didn't really do much damage or disruption. Instead, the Haunter only flinched and retreated to avoid another barrage. Taro took the chance and bolted, running down through the hallways until he came to an abandoned staircase leading down further. His hands clenched onto the railing as he vaulted over some debris from the ceiling and landed on the landing below. He shot a glance back up before he turned and ran down the stairs, his metallic boots pounding the metal steps. He brushed aside some dangling fabric and emerged into the second level. The old signs still bore the lettering in Kantoian writing, and he narrowed his eyes as his mind struggled to translate the symbols into Ransian characters. He swept his gaze around before he made contact with the wording he wanted to see. He turned and darted down a corridor to the right, coming up to a pair of double doors that looked heavily corroded.

The sergeant gripped his rifle in his hands as he backed up and charged at the doors, crashing into them and breaking them open.

He landed inside the generator room, standing up and aiming his rifle as he swept his gaze around.

 _ **We'll leave the light on!**_  
 **私たちは、上の光を残しておきます！**

He could see faint outlines of other Pokémon lurking in the shadows, but they appeared to be dead, he noted with some small amount of relief. The stench of decomposition was long gone, so that proved to be a benefit as he finally stood up and walked over to the central control console. The console was covered in debris and dust, but it still looked functional. He brushed aside some of it and found the main keyboard for the operation of the plant. Taro ran a hand over it before he typed in a random string of numbers one of the Kantoian refugees had told him; the woman had been a worker in the power plant prior to the Undampening and she was the only survivor of the staff here.

The screens on the central console flickered briefly before the generator began to slowly hum and rumble, its aged gears and other electrical components struggling to come online after six years of disuse. Taro skimmed the readouts, noting with some worry that it was not totally safe. They could replace the parts though; they had more than enough scattered around here, or so he last heard. He shot his gaze up towards the ceiling and the lights flickered dimly, coming online with some effort. The lights were dim, but at least they were functional.

He got on the horn to his commanding officer.

* * *

 _ **Late at night, when Mommy thinks she's all alone**_  
 **ママが考えるとき、夜遅く、彼女はすべての人です**

" _Sir, it's Taro! I found the generator room!_ " The voice of the sergeant caught his attention and Erik pressed a hand to his helm.

"You found it?" he asked.

" _Yes, sir,_ " Schmitt reported. " _The generator still works, but not very well, and a bunch of the parts may have to be replaced, but at least it's operational. The plant is infested with Electric-types and a single Ghost-type. The rounds weren't as effective as the boys said they'd be, but they did work... sort of._ "

The company commander narrowed his eyes as he looked back in the direction of the power plant. "Any idea as to how much power the plant is capable of producing with the generator in its current state?"

 _ **I hear her pray to God**_  
 **私は神に彼女の祈りを聞きました**

" _Off the top of my head, I'd have to say... enough power to supply a single school for at least a year before it goes. And that's at the worst. The best I'd say would be about a year and a half, if we're lucky with the generator in its current state,_ " the sergeant replied. " _If we replace the parts, we may be able to extend its life, but not by much. Remember the entire grid for Kanto is down. We'd be lucky to get a line directly to the camp at this point._ "

"Dammit!" Erik hissed, punching the ground with a hand. "How long do you think we could extend its life for?"

" _Depends. It's a long shot, actually. We may need to manufacture the parts needed, and that could take months, if not years, since the grid is down and most factories are out of business. We could do it ourselves back in Ransei, but then we'd have to ship them here, and considering how we're so close to Johto's borders, Uxie may send some of his 'mons to bring the planes down,_ " Taro remarked. " _That's gonna really mess things up._ "

The GUNDAM Soldier lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. "I kinda figured as much..." he muttered to himself. "Uxie is not making things easy for us, especially since Ho-oh vanished..."

 _ **"Lord, I don't know how much longer I can hold us together.**_  
 **「主よ、私は私たちを一緒に保持することができますどのくらい長いかわかりません。**

" _Should I rendezvous with you?_ " the sergeant asked.

"Negative, soldier!" Erik said. "I need you to check over the generator thoroughly and then report back once you finish that task. Then try and see if you can find as much wire as possible and hook it up to the generator and snake it back to the camp. It's a long shot like you said, but it will at least provide some hope to those people."

" _Yes, sir!_ " Taro replied. He cut the comm line and static filled the first lieutenant's hearing before it faded.

Erik stood and flexed his wings, taking flight moments later and flying back to the camp. He only hoped that Carina and Johnathan were doing as well as they were.

* * *

 **Lavender Town Ruins**

 **15 October, 6 YDR**

 **0200 hours**

Second Lieutenant Carina Hochberg narrowed her eyes as the group emerged from the fog into the ruins of the town. It still made her shudder at seeing the destroyed buildings amongst the fog, looking like a true mark of the Apocalypse six years before. Only this time there were no survivors, at least at first glance. For all they knew though, there could have been no one left.

 _ **Alone, it's becoming so hard."**_  
 **一人で、それは一生懸命になってきています。」**

Her hands clenched on the "Signal Beam" assault rifle and she pivoted her head, the lights from her headlights shining through the gloom. She shivered at the sight of destroyed buildings and overturned cars, most of them starting to rust and become overgrown with vegetation, just like all the other cities in the region and the rest of the world. Beside her, Private First Class Johnathan Bosch shuddered as his wings twitched nervously.

"Take it easy, Private," she said, trying to remain calm herself.

"Sorry. It's just that this place gives me the willies!" the GUNDAM admitted, his eyes shrinking a bit in his terror.

Carina rolled her eyes, but she did have to admit he had a point. The deserted town was enough to give her the willies as well. She swept her lights around the foggy area, and she suddenly stopped, holding out a hand as Bosch staggered to a halt behind her, his eyes dilating a bit more.

 _ **I know I've read all your letters that say how you do it for me.**_  
 **私はあなたが私のためにそれを行う方法と言うすべてのあなたの手紙を読んで知っています。**

The second lieutenant raised her hand to touch the side of her helmet, bringing down the visor and switching to infrared scanning. The visor flashed red briefly before her vision shifted to display the heat signatures of her, the GUNDAM behind her, and all the Pokémon that lurked in the misty remains. It also revealed several cold spots; cold spots she knew were common for Ghost-types. Her eyes narrowed behind her visor as she lowered her hand from her helmet and gripped her rifle in both hands, holding it up to chest level.

Behind her Johnathan did the same thing, but he was shaking in his armor, making it clatter loudly. Well, it was softly clattering, but the dead silence made it seem like it was a barrage of bullets from a machine gun. Carina whirled around and held a finger to her lips. Bosch nodded and took in a rattling breath before letting it out, trying to calm his nerves. Satisfied, Carina turned back to studying her surroundings, and she noted that two of the cold spots had vanished; her HUD showed the radar built into her suit was activated, and she could make out two blue blips that were not of the same frequency emitted by the shard of crystal in her suit's chest and the core used by the GUNDAM Soldiers. That, and they were a darker shade of blue.

She leapt back as a thick pink tongue lashed out of the fog, just barely missing her lithe form. Johnathan, or John, as he insisted he be called, scrambled back and fell on his butt, panicked at the sight of the tongue. He raised a finger, pointing at the shadows. "D-Did you s-s-see that?!" he squeaked.

 _ **And Mommy says how you're keepin' us safe**_  
 **そして、ママは、私たちは安全な」あなたがキーピンしているかと言います**

The Marine nodded as she got to her feet from having landed on her knees. "Yeah. They're everywhere," she muttered grimly.

"L-Let's just forget the mission and get back!" John stammered. "I-I don't like this place!"

"No can do, soldier!" Carina hissed. "There have _got_ to be survivors here someplace. I just know there have to be!"

John was about to speak again, only he let out a scream instead as he scrambled to his feet and turned, running for the edge of the ruins. Carina was about to call out, but then her radar blipped and she whirled, her eyes widening in shock at the Spiritomb that emerged from the ground not too far off. Her hands flew for her rifle and raised it, pulling the trigger and sending a burst of rounds right for the Ghost-type. The bullets phased through it, but the aurite infused into the metal did cause it some pain, mostly due to the fact that the Pokémon had a Dark-subtype.

 _ **Even though it might not be easy to see.**_  
 **見ることは容易ではない場合もありますが。**

The Spiritomb hissed and phased out, forcing her to back up as she scanned her surroundings. She didn't even hesitate to turn and bolt for the edge of the town's ruins either, only to smack headlong into John's back as he stood petrified with fear. Both Marines went tumbling to the ground. Carina rolled off the mech beneath her and rubbed her helmeted head, feeling a dull ache behind her right ear. "Why'd you freeze up solid, Private?" she asked him.

He merely said nothing, but pointed with a shaking finger at the Gengar hovering not too far from them, in addition to a number of Gastly and Haunter.

Carina felt her heart leap into her throat and she gulped. "Oh crap..."

 _ **Mommy, we'll leave the light on until Daddy comes home.**_  
 **ママは、私たちはパパが帰宅するまでに光を残しておきます。**

Thankfully though, help was not too far off.

"Flamethrower!" a voice shouted. The next thing the two knew, a blast of fire streaked overhead and they ducked down, covering their heads on sheer instinct despite the exosuit and the GUNDAM frame. The Ghost-types split in every direction, trying to avoid the flames and the Marines as they regained their senses moments after the fire passed. Carina's hands were on her gun in a flash and she whipped it around, firing off a barrage of bullets right for the Gengar. The Pokémon hissed as it drew back a fist seething with dark energy: Night Slash. The aurite-infused bullets peppered its gassy frame and the energy disruption caused the attack to waver and weaken, giving John enough time to come to his own senses and aim his own "Signal Beam" assault rifle. The two Marines poured on the firepower before the Ghost-type backed off, all of them fading into the mist. The Spiritomb was the last to leave, but it hissed in response to their attack and faded, its eyes sneering at them.

Carina turned in the direction the flames had come from, and her eyes widened as she stared at a small group of teenagers emerging from a partially destroyed house. She flipped up her helmet's visor and shone her lights on them. In the middle of the group stood a Charizard, wings spread defensively over the youngest of the kids, and a few other Pokémon were there too, mostly Electric types from the area. The boy beside the Charizard looked to be the oldest of the group, and he clearly acted like it.

 _ **We'll leave the light on for our soldier.**_  
 **私たちは、兵士のために光を残しておきます。**

"Thanks for the save," Carina said, holding out her hand. "Otherwise we'd be spirit chow."

The boy frowned, but held out a hand as well, shaking hers. "I didn't save you, okay? I was looking out for these kids." He motioned to the group behind him.

John rolled his eyes as he got to his feet. "Yeah, right."

"You're not from Kanto, are you?" the youth asked, his brown eyes hard. "Your accent is foreign."

"You're right. We're from Ransei," Carina explained. "We've been sent by our superiors to try and help a refugee camp not too far from here."

 ** _To remember all who've fallen, honor all who served.  
_ 落ちてきたすべての人を覚えておくことが、務めすべての人を称えます.**

"Those guys? Well, good luck with that. They got no trust left for anyone in military uniform," the boy snorted. "Not since the Kanto Marines went and deserted us in our time of need. Don't see why they even existed if all they did was desert us..."

"Not all Marines are like that though," Carina remarked as she walked towards the kids. She held out her hands in a non-threatening fashion. "In Ransei, it's no man left behind, whether they be civilian, or military. And believe me, Marines like that are not worthy of the name."

The boy grinned at her remark. "You and me both, ma'am," he said, finally lowering his guard enough to allow her closer. "The name's Hachiro Fujioka. I used to live not too far from here, but I wound up getting trapped here when shit went down several years ago. Been trying to help these kids survive ever since. Gotta tell you though, the Ghost-types make things hard for us. Especially since they take the younger children at night."

"Well, if you want, we can take you to the refugee camp. You'll be safer there, especially since you can hold your own with your Pokémon," Carina offered.

"Well... we'll think about it," Hachiro said. He was serious as he said this, and Carina suspected that he wouldn't even set foot in the camp.

Her grey-green eyes narrowed as she scanned the area, her HUD detecting a few new cold spots moving in. "We gotta move," she said seriously. "Ghost-types incoming!" She held her rifle at the ready and John gulped as he backed up to her so that his thruster pack was touching her jetpack. Hachiro gritted his teeth and looked to his Pokémon. "Get ready to use Flamethrower on my command!" he barked. The Pokémon nodded and brandished his wings menacingly to try and add a little intimidation to his side.

 ** _The soldier's light will be lit and forever burn.  
_ 兵士の光が点灯し、永遠に燃えされます.**

The group was caught off guard as a large Gastly emerged from the shadows of the fog and its misty body started to envelop one of the children, only for Carina to whirl about and fire the "Signal Beam" assault rifle right for it. The Gastly withdrew from its attempted suffocation and a Haunter moved in to grasp the girl and pull her into the mist. This time John was on the attack, but since he was terrified of ghosts, he went all out, blasting the Haunter with _all_ of the ammo in his drum mag.

Hachiro saw the attack and grunted as he lunged for the girl, pulling her to his body as he landed and rolled, holding her close to his chest. He looked back at his Pokémon. "Lars, Flamethrower!" he yelled.

The large Charizard acted on the command, whipping his body around and letting out a blast of intense fire from his throat. His eyes were hard, almost like slits, as he aimed the jet of fire at the Haunter before switching targets to a Gengar as it emerged from the shadows generated by the lights from the two Marines' gear and frame. Hachiro looked back at the girl. "Go on! Get to shelter!"

 _ **We'll leave the light on.**_  
 **私たちは、上の光を残しておきます。**

"No can do!" Carina hissed. "Those things won't stop until they've killed all of us or worse!"

The boy narrowed his eyes as he glared at her. "What do you suggest we do then? Run like hell for the woods?!" he snapped.

The second lieutenant looked back at the kids and nodded. "Best bet we got!" she shot back.

For a long moment, the two stared one another down before the teen sighed. "All right. Seems as if we've got no choice."

She nodded and without much as a second thought, raised a hand to touch the crystal plate embedded within her suit's chest armor.

* * *

 **Refugee Camp Lavender**

 **15 October, 6 YDR**

 **0330 hours**

Sergeant Major Jathbiyya Karimi's eyes narrowed as he scanned the perimeter of the camp through the scope of his sniper rifle. Yet, laying beside him was his assault rifle. In truth, the Terrera native felt more comfortable as a sniper, not as a machine gunner. So, in spite of not being part of regular arsenal regulations, he had opted to bring his sniper rifle with to provide some long range cover should the need arise. His decision had saved his company more than once, and in spite of being against the orders of his superiors, they allowed him to retain the sniper gun in addition to the "Signal Beam."

He shifted a bit from his position atop the roof of one of the shacks, his eyes roving over the perimeter. His enhanced eyesight could pick out the locations of several Electric and Ghost types, as well as a few other shapes that were clearly not of Pokémon origin. He could only conclude at this point that they were former Kantoian Marines or some other bandits roaming the landscape. His finger was gently squeezing the trigger, but he didn't pull it fully. There was no need to let the intruders know there were Ransian Marines stationed at this camp.

Not yet, anyway.

The Marine sniper looked to the left, and noted with some relief that his fellow soldiers were setting up a more effective perimeter. Beside him on his right was his loyal Arcanine, Blitz. The man smiled a bit at seeing his old friend and companion who had been with him for several years now. But he brushed that aside as he finally returned his gaze to the surroundings. His eyesight, while keen, was not as keen as the legendary sniper, the Blue Death. And in fact, he had to rely on his scope to try and even match her. He took in a breath and let it out as he spotted a man creeping close to the perimeter of the camp.

Oh yeah. He looked like a bandit for sure.

Karimi's heartrate soared a bit before his training took over and he calmed himself, his mind clearing of all thought and his finger tightening on the trigger. The rifle jolted in his grasp and he felt the recoil against his shoulder. The bullet sped down the barrel and out right for the target. He had no idea what was coming.

The man's head jerked back at the first impact and Karimi grinned slightly, though his stomach churned. He had just killed his first man, and he didn't like it. Although he had killed Pokémon before, it wasn't the same. This was another man, a human being just trying to survive in this hellish new world. But it was for a future he wanted to see happen, not this... this wasteland that was creating these people.

He brushed it aside for the moment; he could get sick later. There were more of them coming; the shot hadn't exactly been silent.

At least they were making some progress, anyway...

He pressed a hand to his suit's helmet. " _Sir, we got incoming from all directions!_ " he remarked. " _Bandits, thugs, and marauders, along with wild Hostiles._ "

" _Hold out as long as you can! We'll be back once the line is linked!_ " Erik ordered. " _And try to make sure that you do not harm any of the civilians there!_ "

" _Will do. Karimi out._ " The sergeant major lowered his hand and shifted his position a bit more, angling his sniper rifle to the west a bit and pulled the trigger, sending another round right into a bandit's skull and splattering his brains everywhere. Another shift, and a third shot later left one bandit missing a kneecap. His cries of pain were audible for miles. Karimi held his breath as he sent another round for a Hostile, striking the Electric-type in the head and killing it. He withdrew his gun and lay prone as a few marauders looked in his direction.

 _ **We'll leave the light on until Daddy comes home.**_  
 **私たちは、パパが家に来るまでに光を残しておきます。**

Blitz lay as still as his master, but was itching to attack. The Terrera native held a hand on his partner, sending soothing pulses over the Link to keep him as calm as possible, but there was still a hint of worry that he may have to attack. The Arcanine waited, only to receive the order just seconds when a bandit spotted the duo and launched an attack with his own gun. The man rolled to the side as Blitz unleashed a deadly Fire Blast, striking the man in the chest and scorching his flesh to ash. He fell to the ground, dead as a Geodude's corpse.

Karimi's hands clenched around his Signal Beam assault rifle as he slipped his sniper rifle over his shoulder and leapt off the roof of the shack, firing like a madman. He wasn't as accurate with the assault rifle as with his trusty sniper rifle, but he was still a decent shot. The Marine landed on his feet and ran like hell for the other side of the camp, barking out orders in broken Kantoian to the refugees to take shelter. Most did not heed his orders, but a few did. He hissed beneath his breath as he realized that if they were to fight, they needed all civilians out of the way.

First Sergeant Godefroy Perrault was already on the move, his frame looming over the others; at eight feet in height he was a prime target, but he also had an edge in defensive armor. He ran as fast as he could, using his bulk to his advantage as he pressed the civilians behind him, telling them in fluent Kantoian to get to shelter. For once, Karimi was glad the guy was a former scholar; he came from Kalos to Ransei in the early stages of the Undampening, and his linguistic skills made him a prime candidate for going to other countries to assist in the humanitarian efforts. He was fluent in not just Kantoian and Kalosian, but also in Fiorian and Oblivian. After being wounded, he applied to become a GUNDAM Soldier to continue his service, and was approved for the program; with skills like his, it was a vital resource to establish trust between the factions.

 _ **We'll leave the light on for our soldier.**_  
 **私たちは、兵士のために光を残しておきます。**

Yet some things just couldn't be repaired that easily. Although speaking the language helped to a degree, some civilians chose to remain outside, and that made Karimi snarl a bit.

Perrault looked back. "I got as many as I could to safety," he said in his thick Kalosian accent, although it was somewhat dulled by his years in Ransei.

"Okay. We'll have to fire around what civilians remain. Apparently they're not too trustworthy of us yet," the sergeant major growled. He held up his rifle. "And hope we don't kill any of them in the process..."

* * *

 **Camp Office**

 **15 October, 6 YDR**

 **0400 hours**

Tom Lindberg, the commander of the refugee camp, peered out through the window of his shack, noting how the Marines were trying to usher the civilians to safety. A snort escaped him as he rolled his eyes and turned away. Like it would do much to change his opinion. All Marines were the same in his eyes. He walked to his desk and sat down, tenting his fingers as he gazed at the message from the last female warrior of the camp. It was scrawled in blood, and the characters were a mess, but it was readable.

' _Trust no one else._ '

That was all it said.

His mind pondered the message as he heard the sounds of gunfire erupting outside his shack, blissfully ignoring them. He could care less about what the Marines did. He had his own people to worry about.

 ** _To remember all who've fallen, honor all who served.  
_ 落ちてきたすべての人を覚えておくことが、務めすべての人を称えます.**

But that was shattered when a large explosion destroyed his shack's left side, sending him sprawling onto his back, blood running down his face as he grunted and sat up, wincing against the pain. He was surprised to see, much to his shock, a marauder, eyes hard and weapon ready to impale him through the heart. The man's eyes were filled with a sense of madness and lucidity alike, clearly not all there, and yet still sane. He hefted the spear and prepared to drive it home.

Only for a set of arms to emerge from behind him and grab his neck, pulling him back and shoving him to the ground. One of the armored Marines had seen the man heading for the camp commander's office and ran after, using his jetpack to boost his speed and get there in time. He punched the former Marine back and got to his feet after rolling aside, balling his hands into fists. The marauder got to his own feet, rubbing at his jaw and looking for his spear. But the weapon lay in a ditch carved by a Pokémon's attack three months back, out of sight and out of reach. The Marine in front of him gritted his teeth as the other man realized his spear was missing and lunged for his opponent, slamming into the other man with enough force to send both sprawling. But the armored soldier managed to roll into a kneeling position as the marauder did the same thing. Both got to their feet and ran at the other, the Marine throwing the punch first and connecting with his stomach before spinning around and lashing out in a spin kick that knocked the marauder back, only to follow up with a jumping roundhouse that sent him sprawling on his back.

The soldier, Master Gunnery Sergeant Árni Olvirsson, turned to look at Tom and flipped up his visor to reveal dark brown eyes and dark skin, locks of thick black hair covering part of his left eye. "You okay?" he asked.

 ** _The soldier's light will be lit and forever burn.  
_ 兵士の光が点灯し、永遠に燃えされます.**

Tom merely nodded, stunned at what was happening. He was surprised that these soldiers were giving their all to defend his camp, when all Marines were savages. The soldier turned back to the marauder, lashing out in a triple punch before following up with a brutal uppercut that forced him back from the downed camp commander. He drew his knife and slashed at the marauder's chest, nicking the flesh and sending him staggering back, his hand flying for the wound.

A loud explosion tore his focus away from the two fighters and Tom's eyes went wide as he stared in shock at the two GUNDAM Soldiers as they finished loading a bazooka. Electric types were now pouring through the camp perimeter with like lemmings, and he wasn't sure if they'd be able to hold their own. There were only four, and there were numerous humans and Pokémon alike striving to destroy or raid the camp.

For once, he was entirely fearful. Fearful for the lives of those within the camp's perimeter. The losses of the younger adults made things harder, as it left him with two unethical choices for defense: use child soldiers or enlist the elderly. He chose to do neither, and now, it appeared he was paying the price. He buried his face in his hands to try and drown out the fighting, but the roar of battle and the chattering of the guns tore into his consciousness and he gritted his teeth, trying to keep from breaking down. The soldiers he saw... they were just doing this for their own ends, he knew it! And yet...

Yet...

Why weren't they negotiating with these marauders and bandits? Weren't they all the same?

The words of the mechanical soldier, Erik(?) came back to him.

" _Because we never abandon others. And we never abandon those who need it the most._ "

Tom managed to pry open an eye, and for the first time, he saw what they were really doing.

Ransei's Marines were not doing what he had feared. The entire time the battle raged, he could see them actually doing the opposite. They were not harming, or trying to claim territory or slaves or... anything of that nature. He saw the fierce determination in their eyes and optics; he heard the rage and fury in their screams and cries, the despair whenever someone got killed; he witnessed the pure _compassion_ the Marines possessed, and saw just how driven they were to... _defend_ and _protect_ the innocent. Unlike the Kanto Marines, the Ransei Marines did not abandon others in their time of need.

It all summed up to one phrase: No one left behind.

It all made sense now. While he didn't trust any of the elite soldiers other regions possessed, one thing was certain: Ransei's Marines were true soldiers. They never abandoned others. They never left a man or 'mon behind. And he could finally understand it. Why they didn't leave others behind. Because they were Marines. And Marines never left anyone behind, no matter what.

 _ **Let's leave the light on.**_  
 **それでは、上の光を残してみましょう。**

* * *

 **Six hours later**

The clouds darkened the entire camp as rain lashed down from the heavens, the bodies of both human and 'mon alike littering the refugee camp perimeters. Astonishingly, no civilians were lost, and nor were any of the Ransei Marines, some of whom had come from Lavender Town with a bunch of youths, each of whom looked a lot worse for the wear. The Marines though were battered and beaten, but still stood tall and proud.

The camp was not in much better shape, with some of the shacks lost and some burnt to charred husks. But no people had been killed. Tom was thankful to Arceus and back that _someone_ had heard the prayer he sent, even if it wasn't who he had hoped for. He looked back at the brush just as the last two members of the company emerged, one of them towing a large cable. The man had a big grin on his face as he held it up. "One cable for the power plant?" he asked.

Those few words were all it took.

Cries and cheers broke out as the soldiers and their Pokémon were swamped by the people, and the children broke down crying. The elderly were relieved, and for once, Tom was glad that Ransei had sent their best to this remote part of Kanto. The man with the cable scrambled aside and darted for the closest generator, hooking it up before turning back. "The good news is that the power plant is still semi operational, the bad news is that it won't be for much longer since the main generator is shot. It will last as long as possible, but I can't guarantee that it will last indefinitely in the state it's in. We will try to repair it, but we can't say for certain that we'll be able to deliver the supplies needed due to Uxie's forces trying to shoot down our planes," the soldier said as he worked to get the camp's generator online.

"How long?" Tom asked the man.

"About a year, year and a half at best," the soldier replied. "And that's in its current condition. After that, it's out of my predictions." He looked back and smiled. "But good news is: you got power for now. So try to make the best of it."

He pressed the button and the generator kicked into life, the lights flickering on briefly before dying. Then, slowly, they came back on, shining in each shack's window and doorway, illuminating the darkened camp. Even if it was minor, it still worked for them. Tom slowly looked around the camp, his eyes widening in amazement. For the first time since the Undampening six years ago, he felt... something... unusual. It felt like a warmth within his chest, and it strangely brought tears to his eyes. He raised a hand and touched his cheek, surprised at the tears, and at this warm feeling.

The soldier seemed to sense his confusion and grinned. "That warm fuzzy feeling? It's hope," he said. "And trust me on this when we say that we'll be back every so often when we're able to be spared."

Tom couldn't distrust him when he said that. He merely smiled and nodded. "I trust you will follow through?"

The Marine nodded. "Yes. We will."

The Marines spent another hour finishing up the generator's set up, and much to their surprise, a small group of children had worked alongside one of the elders to craft a surprising memorial to them. On top of a lone flagpole, a single lightbulb shone against the darkness. Erik cast his gaze up at it in confusion. "What is this?" he asked.

"It's a gift for you," a child said as the GUNDAM turned to look at her. "It's a beacon. A light for you to see when you come back."

"Yeah," an older boy said. "Call it... a light for soldiers such as yourselves. Those who fight, and those who fall, for the right reasons. You... You are true soldiers, unlike so many others..." He cast his gaze down at the ground. "And believe me... you are far more worthy of the word than they are."

Erik was stunned. Never before had anyone done something like this, and... it made his core warm up slightly within his chest. He looked down at his hand as he touched it to the armor, feeling the warmth beneath it. "Thanks..." he whispered.

When they got back on the plane at an old airfield not too far off, Erik relayed what had happened to his superiors, and once the report was done, he sat back in his seat, gazing not out the window, but down at his hands, surprised that anyone had done such a thing, but that they had managed to restore hope to that one camp. And all with just their ethos and code of never leave a man behind. He flexed them a bit before he cast his gaze out the window, looking out for-

There it was, gleaming bright.

The one lone light dedicated to them all.

The Soldier's Light.

And he felt proud to be a Ransei Marine.

 _ **Let's leave the light on.**_  
 **それでは、上の光を残してみましょう。**

* * *

 **Avia International Airport**

 **Avia, Ransei**

 **16 October, 6 YDR**

 **1100 hours**

The plane touched down on the main runway hours later, its massive engines winding down as soon as it reached the terminal. The cargo hatch slid open and the Marines exited the craft. The men and women, both GUNDAM and human alike, all looked like they had been through hell, and to be honest, the incident with the refugee camp could be called that, but they still stood tall and proud. And they seemed to carry with them a sense of accomplishment. The commander of the squad stepped forward, saluting sharply, as did his unit. "Ma'am, mission accomplished!" he said.

Captain Emilie Schulze nodded. "At ease," she said. The mech let his hand fall back to his side. "I take it the mission went well?"

"Yes, ma'am," Erik replied. "We got the generator from the old power plant wired into the camp's power grid, and it should provide power for a year to a year and a half. The generator itself is not in the best of shape, so the estimate we gave is just that: an estimate. It could last longer, or it could go sooner. It all depends on the situation." He shrugged.

The captain nodded as she processed this. She reached up and adjusted her hat atop her black hair and blinked her green eyes as she scanned the eight Marines in front of her. "Any casualties civilian wise?"

"Negative, ma'am," Erik stated. "We managed to hold off the Pokémon and marauders that attacked, but some of the houses were damaged and others were scorched. To be honest, I don't even know how we survived that one."

"Forget how you survived it. Just know that you did. But what about the trust issues? Did you manage to get them to trust you?" Captain Schulze asked.

Carina nodded as she stepped forward. "Yes, ma'am, and we also rescued some children holed up in the ruins of Lavender Town. The camp inhabitants actually assumed we were savages all because of what Kanto's Marines did."

The captain sighed as she placed her hand on her face and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Damn... Then again, Kanto really didn't have a full fledged Marine Corps like some of our kingdoms did. So I'm not too surprised..."

She looked up. "But that aside, something tells me that the mission more than just succeeded. Something else happened, right?"

Erik nodded. "Yeah. Hang on." He closed his eyes for a moment and a minute later, Schulze's PokéGauntlet beeped. She pressed the email button and the image she saw surprised her. She looked up at the mech before her.

"Is that real?" she asked softly.

He opened his eyes and nodded. "Yes, ma'am. They went ahead and rigged that up just... for us..." He cast his gaze down at his hands, flexing them. "That... I didn't think we'd make that much of an impact on them, considering how much they hated us..."

"Well, from the looks of your suits and frames, I can take a guess that your efforts to protect them won them over," Schulze remarked with a wry grin. "How many attackers?"

The entire squad took turns relaying the story to their commanding officer. The whole time she listened, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open, hands slack at her sides. By the time they were finished, she was not just stunned by the turn of events, but she couldn't believe that they had rigged a flagpole with a lightbulb in their honor. She finally regained her composure and stood up straight, looking each of them in the eyes.

"Squad Alpha, as of right now, you are appointed the liaisons to the refugee camp. You have proven that they can trust you, and you have to be able to follow through with your word. That doesn't mean that you will not be assigned to other theaters of war. You will still be involved in the fighting, but when you are able to be spared, you will go to the camp and try to get as much infrastructure established there as possible. Barring that, you will also be assigned other duties while at the camp," she said. "But do not think that this will not be used to help set things right in Kanto. It's only the first step. We still have a long ways to go in getting the people there to trust outsiders and military personnel again. It will take years, but your mission is the first step in a long crucial process. And it will be vital for the coming years."

The eight Marines nodded as one. "Yes, ma'am!" they replied, saluting.

Schulze smiled at them, a warm sensation glowing within her chest, her crystal shimmering dimly in response to the feeling. "Good. Dismissed!"


	17. VTP-6 Chansey

**File # 016**

 **VTP-6 "Chansey" Ambulance**

 **Type:** Armored ambulance

 **Weight:** 18 tons

 **Length:** 7.84 m

 **Width:** 2.5 m

 **Height:** 2.5 m

 **Engine:** HoR powered 6V54T diesel engine

 **Maximum speed:** 140 kph

 **Armor thickness:** 6 mm to 16 mm

 **Crew:** 2

 **Passengers:** 4 medics and twelve passengers

* * *

 **NOTES**

Out of all the vehicles used by Ransei, the "Chansey" armored ambulance is a far cry from a Pokémon-based weapon. It's big, bulky, and anything but a friendly color. It possesses a six wheel drive system to allow it to traverse over rough ground, and it is outfitted with armor from the "Geodude" light tank to protect against shell fragments, explosion overpressure, and 7.62mm armor-piercing ammunition as well as light Pokémon attacks. The ambulance is painted in a myriad of colors to disrupt its visual profile, and these color schemes range from basic jungle green to urban warfare camouflage.

Initially developed as an all-terrain ambulance by Cragspur and Terrera, the Chansey's all terrain capabilities caught the attention of the Supreme Warlord and a production program was put into effect, churning out hundreds of them to be used on the front lines. The space within is easily taken up by medical equipment and the patient(s), although sometimes Pokémon have joined the medical crew to assist in keeping the wounded stabilized long enough to get to a field hospital or medical aid station on the battlefield.

To make sure that it gets the wounded soldier or civilian or Pokémon to the medical station swiftly, its engine has been changed from a standard diesel to an HoR powered engine block, greatly increasing its range from a mere 140 km to nearly limitless. That kind of range can insure that the wounded get to the medical site quickly and effectively; the engine change also increased its speed from 90 kph to 140 kph. While not much faster, it does provide some peace of mind for the loved ones of the wounded in knowing that every second is crucial to their survival. The tires are also thick and can withstand punctures or minor scrapes; these tires are called run-flats, and have the ability to self-seal the punctures if needed.

The Chansey's reputation as a battlefield ambulance has led to several variants being proposed, some with thicker armor and less speed, but some with less armor and more speed. These variants have not been as successful as the original model, although some progress has been made on finding a perfect balance between speed, armor, and agility. Being unarmed though has its disadvantages, so there have to be combat-capable vehicles around it at all times or soldiers have to provide cover for evacuating the wounded. Pokémon have been known to try and find the vehicles and attack them, but many have failed. Bug-types are especially prone to failure in finding and killing these vehicles.

The Chansey has proven to be so effective that LaRousse put in orders for several hundred of them; the engine will be removed to allow them to install their Mako reactors.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Hey, Kaminko! Ever think about an armored ambulance?" - Colonel Gitte Johansen, 4th Medical Brigade, 914th Medical Command

"The Chansey is in no way like the Pokémon I've heard about! But who gives a fuck? It gets the job done." - Lt. Colonel Mikhail Orlov, 5th Medical Battalion, 4th Medical Brigade, 914th Medical Command

"Hell of an ambulance. That thing can carry up to four wounded men at a time. And the guys in there saved my life." - GUNDAM Lieutenant Marcus Franklin, CVW 23, RNS _Kusanagi_

"We needed those. There's no doubt about it." - Captain Radimir Sokoloff, Company D, 13th Devil's Light Brigade, 19th Illusio Army Group

"Those guys in that ambulance saved my life. Have to give credit where it's due." Major Ingrid Watkins, Company B, 16th Reconnaissance Battalion, 17th Armored Cavalry Division

"Ransei came through for us. I have to admit, the Chansey does have potential to be a real useful ambulance on the battlefield." - President Steven Stone, Republic of LaRousse

* * *

 **Cherrygrove City Ruins**

 **Johto**

 **16th April, 6 YDR**

 **1300 hours**

The battle-torn landscape was a mess as the battalion made its way towards the objective. All around them they could see the remains of the once-great city, which was now starting to become overgrown with vines and vegetation. The situation was the same all across Johto, which wasn't much of a surprise to the commander of the battalion. Lt. Colonel Mikhail Orlov narrowed his eyes as his Jeep came to a halt before a large clump of trees lying in the middle of the road.

He stood up and pressed the binoculars to his eyes, sweeping them left and right. The forty-two year old had seen a number of things in his time with the 5th Medical Battalion, and yet this was the worst. Having to treat charred flesh, dismembered limbs and people dying of Poison-type fumes was a lot worse than merely treating Stun Spore and Sleeping Powder. This was lethality in many forms. He shot a glance behind him at the vast logistics train, and he had to suppress a smirk. It still amazed him even six years later that Ransei was now the master of logistics, considering their new power source for a lot of their vehicles. The Heart of Ransei provided them with the ability to roam practically all over the globe to assist those in need, and as a result, their logistics trains were immensely long, which was risky in of itself. Yet somehow Ransei was able to protect its supply trains, and keep them open.

One such supply train was backing up the 5th Medical Battalion now, and he had to admit, the logistics were especially handy in places like this.

His PokéGauntlet beeped and he lowered the binoculars, raising his arm slightly. The comm function was flashing and he pressed the button, bringing up the caller on the screen. "What is it?" he asked

" _Sir, we got a call from the 911th FST and they're almost into the city center,_ " Corporal Duilio Rosales reported. " _They should be making contact with the survivors in half an hour at best._ "

"Good," Orlov said. "The last radio signal we picked up came from the city center. If anything, we should find the soldiers and civilians alike there."

" _That's just it though. Based on what we're seeing, and what they're reporting, there's a very slim chance they may be alive at all. It's not much but... some feel it's not enough to justify sending us out there,_ " Rosales stated.

Orlov narrowed his eyes. "I see. Well, inform me regardless once we find them."

" _Yes, sir._ " Rosales cut the line and the screen switched back to the map of the area. Orlov looked up, his eyes hard as he recalled why he and his team had been sent out here to begin with.

Recent satellite transmissions from the cloaked satellites indicated that there had been numerous fights breaking out across the Johto region in the last few weeks alone, and that many of the fighters were former civilians and soldiers holed up in the ruins of the cities. Of course, most of the groups were too small to make much of a difference, and as it stood, the largest group was not in a major industrial city like Goldenrod or Olivine, but rather in a small, out of the way city: Cherrygrove City, about fifteen minutes by car from the remains of what was once New Bark Town. The ruins were a stark reminder of why no one really remained in either Johto or Kanto anymore. Sure there were some other survivors holed up in the northern sector of the region, but their numbers were dwindling rapidly due to the war of attrition they were currently engaged in. And due to Uxie's base of operations being here in Johto, there weren't many routes that could be taken to get to the northern sector. And Uxie knew that.

But if anything, the survivors in the southern sector had some hope, as Ransei was willing to try and assist them in getting out alive. Orlov drew his mind out from his musings and returned his gaze to the road in front of them.

"We gotta find a way to get around this..." he muttered.

The driver of the Jeep nodded. "Yes, sir. And from the looks of things, we got only one way, and..." Her voice trailed off as she cast her gaze towards the woods, which hummed with activity of Grass and Normal-types. Some sounds of Bug-types stirred and Orlov's eyes hardened.

"Why does it always have to be the woods?" he muttered darkly.

"Beats me, sir, but we'd best take this opportunity before the Hostiles attack us," the woman said.

Orlov nodded, knowing what she meant by that.

He pressed the comm button on his PokéGauntlet and the frequency for the battalion came up. After keying in the code on the on-screen keyboard, he heard a beep from his driver's Gauntlet and he knew the others had gotten the code. "Okay, people. We're blocked off as it is, and we'll be heading into the woods to get around it and any other blockages. So I want all of you, medic or not, to be armed and ready should we encounter any Hostiles. Once we're out of the woods, we'll make a beeline for the city center where the survivors are holed up," he said. "After that, it's a matter of time to get them to safety. And remember: no one left behind."

The group responded as one with a loud " _Yes, sir!_ " The first of the Jeeps and trucks loaded with supplies began to move on ahead, taking point to clear the way for the VTP-6 "Chansey" armored ambulance. Unlike prior ambulances, this thing was built for rough terrain and able to handle itself due to light tank armor and speed behind its six wheels. The traditional white and pink paint was forsaken for military style camouflage, and despite all attempts to make it seem less imposing, the Supreme Warlord and the Ransei High Command had insisted that the basic design remain the same; no curves or gradual angles here. The sharp, harsh angles and thick bulletproof glass gave it an intimidating appearance, but it was worth it, as the design made it very hard to spot. It also helped that the engine was switched out for an HoR-powered diesel.

The Jeeps fanned out and started scanning for anything like wild Hostiles or any gangsters or bandits. Thankfully the gangster and bandit situation was not as bad as Fiore, Almia, or Arceus forbid, Oblivia. That gave Orlov some comfort; even so, the _Max Fury_ movies still provided an insight on how to deal with such a situation. In fact, most movies regarding the post-apocalyptic genre were now being used as training films, much to the surprise of the movie industry. Many had not wanted to be a part of what they dubbed a propaganda campaign, but after the Supreme Warlord talked to the big studio heads about the reasoning behind such a decision, they agreed to assist by producing more realistic post-apoc films to cover more recent events. The result: a huge booming industry centering around the Apocalypse Training Centers and a large rise in military recruitment, as well as a boom in filmmaking and production.

His memories were shattered back to reality when he heard the radar beeping and he shot his gaze out of his Jeep towards the wooded area they were heading towards. Two gunners from the other Jeeps aimed their machine guns and a few GUNDAM that had been hiding behind them jumped down from their hiding spots and aimed their beam rifles at the trees.

A flock of Pidgey flew out, flapping their wings as they cried and crowed, clearly startled by the intruders.

"Just a flock of Pidgey," one of the soldiers muttered as he lowered his beam rifle.

The lieutenant colonel narrowed his eyes as he studied the trees. "Be careful though, soldier," he said. "We don't know if there were only Pidgey there..."

The group slowly made its way through the woods, passing by a few other Pokémon as they either huddled or watched with wariness. The wild Pokémon here had learned to avoid humans, mostly due to the fact that they could kill them much more efficiently now due to better technology and weapons. The journey was arduous and slow, and it took them two hours to get through the woods and back to the city's main streets, but they did it.

 _ **Death surrounds**_  
 **死は囲みます**

All around them they could see the death and destruction of the city's residents and buildings. Dead bodies lay in the streets, cars, and trucks, some lying face-up on the sidewalks, grinning skulls seeming to leer at the Ransian medical teams as they moved through the dead city looking for survivors. The heat and humidity of this day was not good for any of them, least of all any possible survivors. Orlov checked his PokéGauntlet for the temperature and he scowled; it was ninety-two degrees. He grabbed his water canteen and took a nice cool drink before he replaced the cap and sat back down beside the driver.

The armed units accompanying the medical battalion started to spread out, searching for survivors in the remains of the buildings. The men and women, mechs and femmes, split into groups, each group with a sector of the city to check out. The first unit, a small squad commanded by Major Ingrid Watkins, crept towards the destroyed Pokémon Center, their eyes and ears peeled for anything that could resemble a survivor or group of them. The major narrowed her reddish brown eyes and ran a hand through her white hair to try and keep the bangs out of her face. She really regretted letting them grow out; but she could worry later. She had a mission to complete.

She scanned around, her eyes finally spotting something lying on the road not too far from her. The man was in critical condition, and from the looks of things, he was holding onto someone's hand. She briefly wondered if he had saved only a remnant of a loved one or stranger, but as she drew closer, she could see much to her shock and surprise that there was not one, but _two_ people held in his arms. Around the trio lay rubble and debris, some of it smoldering from an attack; she didn't know which one, but the acidic smell indicated it might be Gunk Shot. That meant a Muk must be around, and she gritted her teeth. She hated not having an MG42-38A "Ice Beam" Freeze Cannon with her at this moment.

The major ran over and knelt beside the man, pressing a hand to his neck. His pulse was surprisingly strong, considering the amount of blood he lost, but since humanity had their dampeners removed, it made sense that he'd be stronger and able to endure more; except for blood loss, as his steadily weakening pulse showed. His teeth were gritted as he pried open an eye. He was surprised to see the woman with the Ransian flag on her uniform, but said nothing as a smile crossed his blood-caked lips. She aimed her PokéGauntlet at him and pressed the scanner function on the screen. A bluish-white beam shot out and scanned his body up and down before displaying the diagnosis.

The PokéGauntlet's scanner function could only do basic medical scans; the more detailed stuff had to be done within the Chansey.

The red lettering flashing on the screen clearly revealed how bad his injuries were.

The major pressed the comm button.

 _ **My heartbeat's slowing down**_  
 **私のハートビートのは遅く**

The screen lit up with Orlov's face. "Sir, we got some wounded here. They don't look that good, and one of them is seriously injured. The PokéGauntlet can't scan accurately. We need a Chansey here ASAP!"

" _Understood. Sending Chansey 1 and 2 now. Do everything you can to stabilize the wounded until they get there!_ " he ordered.

Major Watkins nodded. "Yes, sir!" She saluted sharply before the comm line went down and she turned to tend to the wounded. The man's gashes across his body didn't look very good, and some of them had greenish pus oozing out. Well, not as bad as some others she had seen, but still very nasty. She knelt and started using a cloth to wipe off the gunk and blood, the man wincing in pain. Beside him, she could see the two other people, a young boy and a woman, were in better shape, but not too much better; the boy had a partially severed left leg and the woman was missing her right arm below the elbow (she would need a prosthetic).

The major's eyes were hard as she finished cleaning his wounds. While she wasn't a medic, she did know a few things about first aid from having watched medical shows as a college student. She fingered her crystal, pondering whether she could even heal the man's wounds with it. The amount of blood streaming from them though indicated that while it was possible in theory, experience told her a different tale. She let go of her crystal and grabbed some bandages from her first aid kit and started bandaging the man's gashes.

 _ **I won't take this world's abuse**_  
 **私はこの世界の虐待を取ることはありません**

To even see the man in this condition, and his loved ones in a similar state, only reminded her of why they were even on the front lines to begin with: to resist the designs of Uxie and his former ally Ho-oh all the way to the end. By defying them and standing up to whatever the pixie had planned, they were saying that there was no way they'd take his abuse. Especially since he stole vital knowledge on human weaponry and tactics from scientists and soldiers. That kind of stealing prompted some in the Council of Lords to propose a suicide capsule for any Ransian scientists captured in order to guard the secrets of the Heart of Ransei. But much to their surprise, the Heart, it turned out, assimilated all their knowledge and kept it hidden within itself so when Uxie did do a mind rape, the knowledge would be safely hidden and out of his way.

' _Guess even the Heart doesn't trust that little know-it-all sprite,_ ' Major Watkins mused as she finished bandaging the man's injuries. ' _And actually, the Heart's showing signs of true intelligence as of late. So I wouldn't be surprised if it decided to actually make contact with us via telepathy or Aura. Still, we have to be careful to not consider the Heart a weapon. That could make it turn on us, and that is the last thing we need in this war._ '

The woman turned her attention back to the horizon, scanning for any sign of the Chansey armored ambulance. She could barely make out her own troops due to their camo uniforms being splattered in the same colors as the forest around them.

 _ **I won't give up, I refuse!**_  
 **私は私が拒否し、あきらめることはありません！**

She raised her PokéGauntlet to her face and pressed a few buttons, activating the infrared function. Despite the Chansey having an HoR-powered diesel engine, it was the equipment inside that made it easy to detect on IR sensors. But in some cases, that was eliminated by keeping the equipment powered down until it was needed. And despite whatever was thrown their way, the drivers and medics aboard the Chansey tried to get their patients to the evac station alive or at least in a coma. They were that stubborn.

The major scanned the horizon with the PokéGauntlet's camera, finally picking out several human shapes, each of them glowing red and orange with the telltale bluish-white light of the crystals around their necks. She smirked a bit, but her smirk became a full fledged smile when she saw the distinct, angular shape of the Chansey behind them.

 _ **This is how it feels when you're bent and broken**_  
 **これは、あなたが曲げられ、壊れているときにどのように感じています**

She scrambled to her feet and grabbed her crystal, holding it high as it lit up with the relief she was feeling. She waved it repeatedly to get their attention and one of the soldiers escorting the ambulance looked over before motioning to the others. The group turned and headed her way, guiding the Chansey towards her. Or, well, they really didn't need to, as the massive six-wheeled vehicle easily clambered over the debris and rubble left behind by the attacks and the damage of war. The ambulance pulled up alongside the major and her three wounded charges, the back hatch opening and the men and women inside came running out. One of the medics, a GUNDAM named Joni Kang, narrowed her eyes as she studied the man and his loved ones.

"He's in critical condition," she noted. "We'll have to evac them as soon as possible."

"How long do you think?" Watkins asked.

The femme shrugged helplessly before she prepared to lift the man into the ambulance.

 _ **This is how it feels when your dignity's stolen**_  
 **これはあなたの尊厳のは盗まれたときにどのように感じています**

"Uh, I think we may have more than just a few wounded," one of the other medics said as he looked up from the woman. He simply held up her tattered blue jeans and his eyes darkened. "A rape."

That got the major. Her eyes hardened into rubies as she gritted her teeth. "Spread out and find anyone who looks like they've been active sexually! You know what to look for, and if you find the bastard, shoot on sight!" she ordered the soldiers.

They nodded and fanned out rapidly, scanning for anyone in the immediate area. The major turned back to the medic. "She gonna be okay?"

"From the looks of things, I'm guessing that the man we rescued is her husband, and he stumbled upon the rape in progress. Then he must've taken action and attacked the rapist, but got wounded, only for a wild Muk to jump in and waste the area," the medic explained. "The rapist must've either been killed by the Muk or fled, because I don't see any sign of a body. Anyway, then the building collapsed around them, further wounding the man and his wife and child, who he was taking to shelter."

 _ **When everything you love is leaving**_  
 **あなたが愛するすべてが残しているとき**

The major closed her eyes as she clenched her fists. "Just like anyone with a family... Willing to die for them in this hellhole..." She sighed. "And they paid the price..."

" _Ma'am!_ " the voice of one of the soldiers replied over her comm. Major Watkins' hand flew for her PokéGauntlet and she pressed the comm button.

"What is it, Harrell?" she asked.

" _We got him!_ " Sergeant Major Marit Harrell exclaimed. " _The shit's holed up in the warehouse!_ "

"Where's the warehouse?" Watkins blurted as her hand flew for the strap of her M15 "Bronzong" assault rifle. She pulled it off her shoulders and hefted it, checking the ammo mag before she raised her PokéGauntlet again.

" _The warehouse is on Freemont and Madrid Streets!_ " Harrell remarked. " _It's missing part of its upper stories, but at least the roof is intact when compared to some of the other buildings around here!_ "

"I'll be right there!" the major said.

 _ **You hold on to what you believe in**_  
 **あなたが信じているものにしがみつきます**

She looked back at the medic. "Can you keep an eye on things here?" she asked.

The man nodded. "Sure. I got this. You guys get there and get that man."

Watkins nodded and she turned, running off with several other soldiers nearby.

* * *

Medical Corpsman Aki Matsuoka gripped the bandages in his hands as he proceeded to wrap them around the woman's severed arm. Her wounds were bad, but not as bad as her husband's. It was her mental wounds that would need immediate treatment, as rape victims often were scarred by the trauma of such an event. Aki gritted his teeth as his hand flew for the concealed pistol and knife underneath his medic's jacket, and he felt grateful that he was at least allowed some means of self defense. While prohibited from carrying an actual firearm, all medics were allowed a single pistol for self defense, but some opted to go for more traditional weapons like swords or staffs. Aki, however, chose the pistol and a knife for if the situation devolved into a close-quarters fight.

Right now though he had other things to worry about.

He checked the woman's pulse, noting with some relief that it was stable, but who knew for how long it would remain like that? His eyes narrowed as he finally finished his work, mopping the blood onto his coat. The sun faded behind some clouds and he perked up as he felt the first drops of rain on his face. He wiped it off and cast his gaze back around the jagged cityscape. He felt a bit overwhelmed by the enormity of the task ahead, but he brushed it aside, remembering when he had first been roped into this whole deal six years back when he was still studying medicine at Ransei University in Fontaine.

His hands flew with experience over the woman's body, checking for anymore wounds or injuries, and he sighed when he felt no others. But that didn't mean she wasn't in danger still. For all he knew, she could be suffering from internal bleeding.

 _ **The last thing I heard was you whispering goodbye**_  
 **私が聞いた最後の事はあなたがさよならをささやきました**

Aki shot a glance back at the Chansey, its back door open as two soldiers were handed a stretcher from the interior. The two ran over, gently laying the stretcher down beside him. Aki gestured to the closest one, a woman, and together they gently lifted the woman onto the stretcher and secured her before they brought her to the ambulance. She was out cold still, and Aki felt severe relief for the moment, but it was tinged with just the very fainted amount of worry and concern. The trio laid the woman down in the ambulance on one of the makeshift cots and the medic within set to work getting an IV in her and checking her with the advanced medical scanner nestled near the back of the driver's seat. The woman was hooked up to a heart rate monitor and her declining heart rate started beeping slowly.

The machine went to work, scanning the woman's injuries and bringing them up on the monitor.

"Bad news!" the medical technician said in a panicked voice. "She's not gonna make it! Internal bleeding near her heart, not to mention a concussion! We need to stabilize her and stat!"

Aki's heart fell and his stomach twisted itself in knots. He dreaded this kind of work, but he brushed it aside and went for the crystal around his neck. Internal bleeding was a lot harder to stop with the crystals' healing properties, as no one could really tell where it was even bleeding from. But in some cases, they got lucky and it did work. Aki only hoped that it was the case with this patient.

He ran over and the woman stripped off the patient's shirt, exposing her chest for him to see. He placed his crystal close to where he guessed the bleeding to be, and shot a glance at the monitor. He cursed loudly before he shifted to her other side and touched the tip to the upper part of her left breast, just inches away from her heart itself. He pressed the tip into her flesh, and the blue glow instantly turned to a purplish red near the tip. He had found it.

Gritting his teeth, he concentrated on his crystal, the bluish-white energy surging out and into her flesh.

 _ **And then I heard you flat line**_  
 **そして私はあなたの平らな線を聞きました**

"Not yet!" he muttered. His eyes hardened as he pressed harder, his crystal glowing even brighter with his determination. Seeing so many lose their loved ones had only cemented his resolve to try to save lives. He gritted his teeth a bit more, and sweat started pouring down his flesh as he tried in vain to heal her wound.

 _Beep...Beep... Beep... ... Beep... Beep... Beeeeeeeee..._

"DAMMIT!" Aki shouted. He gripped the crystal in his hand and laid it flat on her chest, pressing harder. "You can't! Not now!"

He turned to the technician. "Get over here! I need another crystal on this patient! She's not gonna survive if we don't try to stem that bleeding!" he barked.

She blanched at the tone of the heart rate monitor and she ran over, removing her own crystal and pressing it to the woman's chest as well, next to Aki's. The two focused their energy, sending the healing power of the crystals through the patient's body and into the wound. He had no idea if they were even succeeding, let alone even halting the bleeding.

The crystals' energies though could not halt the internal bleeding. It was just way too severe. Aki pulled his crystal away and turned to one of the other medics in the Chansey. "Haruka! We need a defibrillator now!" he barked.

Haruka Sasaki nodded and scampered over to where the defibrillator was. She turned and pushed the device beside the medical corpsman and he gritted his teeth as she pulled the pads and started it up. She turned, taking note of the fact that the patient's heart had not yet restarted. "We need to get the heart started again!" she remarked.

"Duh! I know that!" Aki shouted as he suddenly gripped both crystals in his hands and slammed them together over the patient's chest. Her body jolted from the energy surge, and he shot a glance at the monitor. His eyes widened as he detected a faint heartbeat it faded. He tried again, this time holding them together longer and the energy surge did cause her to jolt again, this time the heartbeat starting up again, albeit briefly. He hissed in frustration, but Haruka sensed his plan and got to work on building up the charge in the pads.

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

Aki kept pouring crystal energy into the dying woman's chest, slamming the two crystals together a few more times until Haruka was ready. When she was done, the medic stepped back and the woman placed the pads on the dying patient and the woman's body jerked a bit as her heart rate nearly died. "Again!" he ordered. "Now!"

The female medic nodded and rubbed the pads together for a few minutes before she placed them back on and the woman's body jerked a second time, her heartbeat finally starting to stabilize. The only thing was that she was on borrowed time. "C'mon... C'mon...!" he muttered.

 _Beep... ... ...Beep... ... Beep... ... Beep... ... Beep... ... Beep..._

 _ **We're gonna stand and fight forever (Don't close your eyes)**_  
 **我々はつもり永遠に立つと戦うしています （あなたの目を閉じないでください）**

The woman's heartbeat was slower, but at least she was alive. Aki let out a sigh of relief as he slumped back, holding both crystals in his hands. Haruka placed both pads down and reached for her crystal, taking it back and slipping it around her neck. "That was incredibly risky, sir!" she remarked. "That much energy emitted... It's not safe for humans."

"I know... But what choice did I have?" Aki muttered as he slipped his own crystal back around his neck.

"Have to admit though, it was a close one," she added.

The medic nodded as he opened his eyes. "C'mon. Let's see if the boy's okay."

* * *

 **Warehouse**

 **Freemont and Madrid Streets**

 **1600 hours**

Captain Radimir Sokoloff narrowed his eyes as he scanned the warehouses with his steely grey eyes, his black hair plastered against his head from the pouring rain. He grumbled to himself about neglecting to bring his helmet; he had mistakenly left it back at the base camp. But at least he still wore his combat gear. He held his M15 in both hands, crouched behind a nearby dumpster overgrown with weeds coming out of the trash. He took one hand off his rifle and gripped the binoculars he carried with him in his hand and studied the closest warehouse where the rapist was holed up.

The little comical devil's head on his shoulder patch was a stark contrast to the seriousness he displayed in missions like this, and his unit was known for their ruthlessness in combat, so they had unofficially become known as the Devil's Light Brigade, a nickname that struck fear into humans who had heard of them. Some Pokémon even retreated from them, which made him feel a bit of intense pride at seeing them flee.

Beside him, Corporal Ren Koizumi flicked his wings a bit, his brownish orange eyes gleaming in the darkening surroundings. The GUNDAM Soldier held the "Glameow" rifle purchased a few weeks back before the operation commenced, and he frowned a bit. Most soldiers of Ransei preferred the "Bronzong" for its durability and reliability, as well as the ability to fire rapidly. But then again, not every soldier went with it. Some even carried around RPG launchers instead of the assault rifle, which did mean they had only one shot, but the gun itself served as a useful melee weapon once the ammo was used up. Every soldier was different, and he guessed Koizumi had chosen the "Glameow" for its small size and vicious bite.

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

Sokoloff's eyes hardened as he finally saw a signal from one of the other soldiers close to the warehouse and he nodded, signaling back with the flashlight of his PokéGauntlet. The woman returned it and proceeded to creep along the side of the building, staying away from the windows and holes that looked out into the area. She ducked underneath one of them and belly-crawled all the way under a gaping hole before coming to the spot where the main entrance used to be, now blocked off by rubble. But the rubble did form a sort of ramp into the warehouse, mostly to a window looking over a catwalk that led into the manager's office.

The soldier inched her way up the rubble ramp, finally coming to a stop just inches from the hole and peeked inside.

" _Sir, it's Mitch! I got eyes on the bastard! He's busy doing... ick! Is he masturbating?!_ " Sergeant Mitchell Trueman blurted over her comm.

Sokoloff grimaced at the thought. "Any sign of any accomplices?" he asked.

" _No, sir. But... the creep's busy fondling himself as if trying to replicate what he just did to that poor woman!_ " Mitch's disgust was more than warranted, the captain mused as he waved for Koizumi and Sergeant First Class Davey Yamada to go and join her. The two GUNDAM Soldiers ran forward, using the debris to evade detection.

 _ **We're gonna fight for us together**_  
 **私たちは一緒に私たちのためつもり戦いです**

Mitch's slim form vanished as she slipped into the building, the two GUNDAM Soldiers ducking in through a hole further back, using debris from the roof to conceal themselves. Sokoloff crept up close to one of the holes and peeked through, noting the trio making their way around the stacks of boxes until they came to the spot where the rapist hid. He could see the man huddling up, rubbing his... doodle... and moaning as his fluids pooled around him.

Something within Sokoloff stirred and he gritted his teeth, seeing the pure pleasure the little bitch had indulged in.

This was what Ransei stood against, and the sheer audacity someone had to perform such acts... and then indulge in the aftermath... made him feel sick to his stomach and his rifle was in his hands, peering over the sight and holding it at the ready. The rain running down his flesh suited the grim mood, and he heard thunder crack open the sky, as if dumping more fury on the world below. In truth, it seemed to fit perfectly, and Sokoloff knew it.

Within minutes, the trio of soldiers surrounded the man, keeping their rifles trained on him as they peered around the boxes.

And he took his chance.

 _ **No, we're not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、私たちは今夜死ぬじゃありません**

"Hold it right there, shitbag!" Sokoloff blurted as he ran in, rifle held in front. "You're not going anywhere!"

The man looked up, his face still filled with pure pleasure as he stood up, pulling up his shorts and grabbing a nearby assault rifle in his hands. "Oh, how little you know, my dearest soldier!" he crowed. "Can you not see the glory that the world has left us? We can finally do whatever we want! And no one can prevent it, least of all those darling Officer Jennies. Oh, the poor things must be dead by now. How regretful."

The captain hissed in anger as he leveled his rifle at the man's torso. "You think you can use the Apocalypse to justify your actions?! Well, think again! This is exactly what all of us here are fighting against!" he growled. His crystal pulsed brightly beneath his combat vest as he said this.

The man laughed as he spread his arms. "Think about it! No government! No officers, no laws, no stupid rules of society! The world is ours for the taking! Whatever we want, we can get!" the rapist cackled. "And I for one am not about to let it stop me from doing what I love!"

Now Sokoloff had had enough. His eyes hardened as he braced for the recoil from his rifle. "You are sorely mistaken! There is such a thing as taking living life to the fullest too far! And you are certifiably insane if you think that your actions are justified in this new world!" the captain snarled.

"Ah, my dear soldier. You have no idea..." the man sneered.

"I beg to differ, you shit-faced fucker!" Mitch yelled as she leapt out of hiding. The two GUNDAM Soldiers also emerged from hiding, aiming their weapon at the man's kneecaps. "You think you have the right to just rape an innocent woman and then indulge in the sick pleasure?! Well, think again! The Apocalypse is no excuse for such drastic and inhumane actions!"

 _ **Break their hold**_  
 **そのホールドを破ります**

"Says the lovely woman," the man purred lustfully.

Mitch drew back her rifle and clenched it in her hands before swinging it and clubbing the man over the head with it. He did go sprawling, but he rebounded swiftly and brought his own gun to bear on her. She leapt to the side as he opened fire, striking the crate where she had been mere moments before. That gave Koizumi enough time to whip his own gun around and he squeezed off a few tracer rounds, hitting the ground around the man's feet and making him glance back.

"Oh? You think your little robots can harm me?" he cackled, firing at them as he whipped his body around.

The two mecha leapt behind their cover and huddled down as Sokoloff crept around, his rifle held at the ready like a club. The rapist was so focused on his three opponents that he failed to notice the captain rush him, bringing the hard metal stock of his assault rifle down on the man's skull. A loud crack resounded as thunder tore open the sky, and lightning flashed at the same time.

When the lightning faded, Sokoloff was panting heavily as he held up his bloodied assault rifle, checking the dented stock. Bits of flesh and brains dotted it, and he shot his gaze down at the rapist. The man's head was bashed in, and he grimaced a bit at the sight of blood and brains oozing out of the hole he bashed in his skull. But then again, considering what he had been doing, it made zero sense to have sympathy for the guy.

 _ **'Cause I won't be controlled**_  
 **「私は制御されません原因**

The captain slung his gun over his back and glanced at his teammates.

"Well, we got the fucker," Mitch said as she looked at the remains. "And personally, I don't understand why some people even go this far. I mean... isn't this what we're supposed to be encouraging? Asking people to live, not survive?"

"Not like this," Captain Sokoloff murmured. "He was one of those who don't understand. We mean living, as in rebuilding society, not going around doing whatever they please."

Mitch's face softened as she looked at her commanding officer. "So... what he was doing... was wrong."

Sokoloff nodded. He knew Mitch was a good kid, having been in the Ransei Army for several months and working her way up to Sergeant during her time with them. But if there was one thing that she still needed to learn, it was that Ransei was trying to encourage people to _live_ , and rebuild society, not do whatever they wanted. Yet if today was any indication, she was learning rapidly about Ransei's reason for fighting. And that made him proud of her.

Unlike the rest of the world, Ransei had taken control of their own fate and was now living, not merely eking out an existence as a nation of splintered kingdoms. And he was glad for that.

 _ **They can't keep their chains on me**_  
 **彼らは私に彼らのチェーンを維持することはできません**

With the rapist dead, Sokoloff turned to face his team, and motioned to them that it was time to go. They nodded and filed out after him, leaving the body of the rapist behind.

* * *

 **Cherrygrove City Ruins**

 **Main Square**

 **1700 hours**

The next Chansey arrived in the medical square upon receiving reports of wounded survivors half an hour after Captain Sokoloff and his team returned from the warehouse. The area was a complete ruin, jagged edges of buildings protruding into the evening sky. Rain lashed the area like a plague, and Master Sergeant Akakios Simonides brushed his brownish red hair aside from his blue eyes. The helmet he wore did little to keep his bangs dry, but at least his face was shielded from the intense rain.

Thunder tore open the skyline and lightning threw the entire area into illumination, making it seem like something out of a horror film. To see the sight of real post-apocalyptic ruins still made him shudder in shock, even six years after the Undampening took place. Mostly because he had never thought it to really happen until that day. The day when the Apocalypse was unleashed on everyone. His eyes hardened as he looked around for any sign of the survivors.

So far nothing appeared, but his eyes did spot something lurking in the shadows of a nearby grocery store, and he brought up his PokéGauntlet to view it. He aimed his Gauntlet's camera at the shadows and pressed the camera button before triggering a few commands on the screen. The infrared function kicked in and within minutes he got a cold spot on the screen. His eyes narrowed as he recognized a Ghost-type in the shadows.

"Shit...!" he muttered. "And me without my assault rifle!"

 _ **When the truth has set me free**_  
 **真実は、私は自由に設定した場合**

The Gengar emerged from the shadows, its eyes glinting as it drifted closer to him, its hands reaching out for his body.

Simonides backed up, his hand flying for the "Flash" stun grenade, but it would do little to harm the Pokémon, he realized with despair. He inched behind some rocks, but the Gengar merely followed him. He turned and broke into a run, ducking between overturned cars and destroyed trees, clambering over them and slipping around craters in the streets. His brain was on overdrive as he tried to come up with a solution, or something to defend against that Ghost-type, but nothing was visible. None of the other soldiers with their Pokémon were in the area, either, which made things worse for him.

He was alone on this one.

"Dammitall!" he cried to the heavens.

" _Incoming!_ " a voice suddenly yelled.

The next thing Simonides knew, a huge flash of light erupted from behind him and he was thrown on his back from the force of the blast. The bluish glow coating his vision made it next to impossible to see at first, but after a few minutes of rapidly blinking his eyes, his vision started to return to normal.

He also caught the sounds of rapid gunfire in the area before it died down.

 _ **This is how it feels when you take your life back**_  
 **これは、あなたが戻ってあなたの人生を取るときにどのように感じています**

"You okay there, soldier?" a gruff voice asked as he found himself hauled to his feet by a muscular hand.

Simonides looked up, coming face-to-face with a soldier clad in the LWIS-Aron battle armor, the wind rose of LaRousse present on his left breast chest piece. The man removed his helmet's visor and mouthpiece to expose his weatherworn and scarred face.

"Yeah... Thanks..." the Ransian gasped as he got to his feet. He shot a glance back at the spot where the unknown blast had come from, and noticed at once a steel-cased grenade lying there, a dim energy reading coming from it, if the beeping on his PokéGauntlet was any indication. "What _was_ that thing?"

The soldier knelt down and picked it up. "M32 "Foresight" Anti-Ghost-type grenade. Bit of a hassle trying to make these, but they are sure as hell good against Ghost-types."

"Hell yeah!" a soldier giggled. She held up her hands and started dancing a bit.

" _If there's something strange,_  
 _In your neighborhood,_  
 _Who ya gonna call?_  
 _The Ghost Buster!_  
 _With this I ain't afraid of no ghosts~_!"

She finished her little song. "Sorry. Just a little joke," she muttered, apparently embarrassed by her actions.

 _ **This is how it feels when you finally fight back**_  
 **これは、最終的に戻って戦うときにどのように感じています**

The soldier glared at his subordinate, but brushed it aside as he placed the grenade back on his armor and held out a hand. "So, what's the deal? Why are you here?" he asked.

"Looking for survivors in this area," Simonides explained as he jerked a thumb back at the Chansey armored ambulance.

"What is that thing supposed to be? An armored transport?" the soldier asked.

"Negative," the Ransian said. "Armored ambulance. Better than having it decked out in standard ambulance colors and shapes. Frankly, it's better to have it blend in and be more intimidating than look all dainty and prettied out in comparison. Better survival chances this way."

The LaRoussian soldier snorted. "Hardly. Looks more like a transport to me."

The master sergeant grinned as he gestured. "C'mon and see for yourself." He guided the soldiers over and with a quick flip of the latch, the back was opened and they found themselves staring at the interior. Unlike the usual armored transport, this one had the benches removed and some medical equipment installed to help stabilize and maintain a patient during evac to friendly lines.

 _ **When life pushes me I push harder**_  
 **人生は私を押すと、私は難しくプッシュ**

The LaRoussian let out a whistle. "Wow. You weren't kidding," he remarked. He held out a hand. "Sergeant Major Monte Williamson of the 18th LaRoussian Airborne Division. Thought we could provide some assistance."

"Master Sergeant Akakios Simonides of the 15th Ignis Artillery Regiment." The two men shook hands. "Gotta admit, you sure saved my ass out there."

"Anything for an ally. So, what's the beef? Where are these survivors supposed to be?" Williamson asked as he cast his gaze around.

Simonides looked over at the location he had gotten a weak radio signal from. "Over there. By that apartment complex. It's weak, but there's a definite radio signal there."

The sergeant major pressed a hand to the helmet of his suit and he was silent as he scanned the radio frequencies. Within minutes he got the signal. "Huh. You're right. It's weak, and I can make out faint voices, but I don't think they can hear me."

"They can't," the master sergeant admitted. "I was tracking it down with my unit when we split up to find them. I got a lock on the signal, but..." He glanced back at the spot where the Ghost-type had been.

 _ **What doesn't kill me makes me stronger**_  
 **私を殺さないものは私を強くします**

Williamson nodded. "Yeah. Good thing we got there when we did."

The Ransian nodded back and they left the ambulance, heading back to the city square. "Got any more of those grenades on you?"

The LaRoussian gave a wry smirk as he held up his hand. Five fingers were held up. "Five of them," he remarked. "Well, four now that we used one, but hey. We still got plenty more of 'em. And from the looks of things, your assault rifles could use a bit of work."

"Try a lot. They only have a 45% effectiveness," Simonides admitted as they made their way to the apartment complex. "And-"

He was cut off as a Gastly emerged and tried to smother him. "Oh, no you don't!" Williamson roared as he drew another grenade and lobbed it. The grenade exploded in midair, just as more Ghost-types swarmed out towards them all.

And for once, the Ransian thought that he was gonna die.

For real.

 _ **The last thing I heard was you whispering goodbye**_  
 **私が聞いた最後の事はあなたがさよならをささやきました**

The LaRoussian soldiers let loose with their rifles, but not before a cluster of grenades was thrown, exploding and disorientating the Ghost-types. The bullets of the Manectric pulse rifles tore into them while a surprise came when he saw a few GUNDAM Soldiers coming through the debris, leaping over the damaged holes and cars, one of them even balancing on a balcony that hung precariously by its bolts. He was surprised at the sudden flurry of bullets from the mechs and femme, but he brushed it aside as he grasped his pistol and pulled it free, aiming and pulling the trigger not a moment too soon.

The bullets cut down a few Ghost types and some of them retreated into the shadows, but others tried to fight back once they regained their senses. The two sides were evenly matched, but it was only a matter of literally seconds before the effects of the "Foresight" wore off.

One of the Ghost-types faded, fleeing to parts unknown as the last of its fellows fell to the hands of the human soldiers. They stood up, the mechs and femme approaching. "You okay?" the femme asked as she brushed some of the blood off her chest armor.

"Yeah. Thanks to you," Simonides remarked with a relieved smile.

 _ **And then I heard you flat line**_  
 **そして私はあなたの平らな線を聞きました**

The group looked back at the mess they had made. "We'd better bug out before the Hostiles return with reinforcements," Williamson said as he hefted his rifle.

Simonides nodded. "Agreed. But not without the survivors."

"Kid... if there were any... they're long gone by now..." the LaRoussian said softly as he looked at the building where the signal had come from. "Those Ghost-types emerged from the building..."

"No. I won't give up just yet!" the Ransian said as he gripped his pistol. "If anything, we have to try!"

Williamson was silent as he considered this. It did make sense to try and help as many people as possible, but at the same time, he had to consider the possibility of the Hostiles returning for a second round. He finally sighed. "All right. But make it fast."

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

* * *

The interior of the building was a lot worse than they had anticipated as the group entered through the holes where the doors once stood. At once the potent stench of fresh blood and decaying flesh hit their nostrils and they keeled over or backed away, retching in disgust. The LaRoussians began to fan out as the Ransian soldiers moved in, scouring the area for any sign of possible life.

But from the looks of things, it wasn't looking like there was any chance of finding anyone alive.

Still, they refused to give up. They continued to move into the depths of the decaying, collapsing building, keeping an eye out for any possible Hostiles or savage humans. The light from Simonides' PokéGauntlet shone in the darkness like a bright signal beacon, chasing away the gloom and shadows. A few spiders skittered aside as their boots crunched on the debris and made clanging on the exposed metal floorboards.

One of the LaRoussians moved aside some fabric and his eyes landed on a sight he never expected to see.

 _ **We're gonna stand and fight forever (Don't close your eyes)**_  
 **我々はつもり永遠に立つと戦うしています （あなたの目を閉じないでください）**

Right in front of him lay three infant children, and they lay in blankets that looked as if they had been wrapped around them by someone before the person left. A note lay on one of the children caught his eye and he knelt, picking it up and his eyes widened. The note was written badly, but he was able to at least make it out somewhat.

 _To whomever finds this-_

 _I leave in your care my three young daughters Cole, Hope, and Cassandra. They deserve to have a better future than this._

 _I only hope that I am still alive one day to see them again._

 _Lauren White_

The soldier felt a pang of sympathy and pity for the three little girls, and he commed his commander. "Sir? We got some survivors here!" he said, softly but urgently so as to not wake them.

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

" _You found survivors?!_ " Williamson's voice blurted.

"Yes, sir. Three little girls. All of them alive and wrapped in blankets. I can't find their mother, which leads me to believe they were orphaned somehow," the soldier explained. "What do you want me to do with them?"

" _That's for you to decide, Orville. Not me,_ " his superior said.

Corporal Orville Peak nodded. "Yes, sir." He cut the line and stared down at the three little girls, all of whom were still sleeping.

 _ **We're gonna fight for us together**_  
 **私たちは一緒に私たちのためつもり戦いです**

The corporal knelt and picked up the three infants, gently carrying them out of the destroyed room and into the main hallway where the others were gathering. A few soldiers were still missing, but they would come back soon enough. Williamson was the fifth to last to arrive back, and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the three infants.

Simonides was out of the next room in a flash. His crystal was shining brilliantly as he came out. "I thought I sensed something like shock. What...?" His voice trailed off as he stared at the three little girls, and his eyes widened. "You... You found survivors?" he whispered.

Peak nodded as he handed them to the Ransian. "They're alive, but... their mother I fear may be dead..." His voice was heavy as he said this.

The master sergeant gripped his crystal, now glowing its usual dim blue-white. "I see..."

 _ **No, we're not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、私たちは今夜死ぬじゃありません**

"Get the back to the Chansey," Williamson said. "Better to be safe than sorry. They'll die here anyway if we don't take them back with us."

Simonides nodded and ran out, carrying the three infants in his arms.

* * *

 **Cherrygrove City Ruins Outskirts**

 **1800 hours**

Aki Matsuoka was in a rush against time.

The boy's heartbeat just stopped as he was trying to stitch his leg back on. As it was, such an operation required time and extreme finesse. But since the boy's heart stopped, he had to halt the operation in an attempt to save his life. But if he started his heart again before his leg was fully sewed back on, then blood loss was inevitable.

And the kid would die anyway.

That was the last thing he wanted to have happen. He had two major decisions, and neither one was what he wanted.

 _ **Don't you give up on me**_  
 **あなたは私をあきらめないでください**

If anything though, Ransei was known for taking a third option. Death by bleeding or death by halted heart...

Or suspended animation.

The new science of suspended animation was still in the works, but if the boy could be induced into it, then they could repair his leg and prevent him from bleeding out on the operating pallet. He looked to Haruka. "Haruka! Get the cryopod ready!"

Haruka's eyes widened. "You're not serious!" she exclaimed. "Such a technology hasn't been tried in this kind of situation yet!"

"First time for everything, right?!" Aki snapped. "Now c'mon! The sooner we get this kid in the sooner we can finish stitching his leg back on!"

The medical technician nodded and went to work. She lifted up one of the stretchers to reveal a hidden cryopod, the only one in this ambulance.

 _ **You're everything I need**_  
 **私はあなただけが必要です**

The Chansey normally wasn't outfitted with a cryopod as it tended to take up a ton of space, but this was the first of a new generation of cryopods that were specifically designed to help keep critical patients from flat lining on the way to hospitals behind friendly lines. Built smaller and more compact, these used nevermeltice found in Ransei's mountains to keep the pods cool with liquid nitrogen; the nevermeltice kept the nitrogen from evaporating and therefore the pods cool enough forever, at least in theory. The previous model used only liquid nitrogen to keep the pod cooled, but it tended to evaporate.

The two medics put the boy into the cryopod and at once the lid hissed shut, sealing him inside and effectively putting him into a medically induced coma. The boy's heart would no doubt be able to be restarted, as the "Freeze Shock" MKII Cryostasis Pod had a crystal shard placed right over the heart to help keep it pumping slowly. The beats were slow, but steady.

Aki went to work as he pried open a control panel and grasped two joysticks, one in each hand. The cryopods were also outfitted with surgical tools to help with wounds that needed stitches or suturing. The two mechanical arms whirred as they emerged from confinement, one of them with a tiny needle and thread and one with a multitude of tweezers and clamps. He adjusted the controls and the arms whirred as they moved into action.

 _ **This is how it feels when you take your life back**_  
 **これは、あなたが戻ってあなたの人生を取るときにどのように感じています**

The mechanical arms danced and whirled as he moved the joysticks with professional ease; he had been training on robotic surgery before the Undampening, and now he was putting that skill to good use. His eyes were narrowed as he took his time to try and make sure the job wasn't botched. The last thing he needed was for the father to be pissed off at him when he came to.

"C'mon...!" he muttered, focusing on getting a few nerves reattached. The nerve attachments were the hardest thing for any medical professional to do, but to use the mechanical arms of the Freeze Shock was a whole other story. For this, it needed a steady hand and nerves of steel. But even his skill was questioned on this. Aki's eyes hardened as he worked. Behind him Haruka watched in fascination and awe as he finally finished sewing the leg back on.

 _ **This is how it feels when you fight back**_  
 **これは、あなたが戻って戦うときにどのように感じています**

The whole time it had felt like an eternity, when in reality, only four hours passed. Aki didn't even notice though as he finally slumped back, his eyes slipping closed as he sighed in immense relief. He placed a hand on his forehead and wiped away the sweat, surprised at how much there was. He looked back at the boy, who was now still as death itself.

"Well, we got the leg stitched back on. Now the hard part..." he muttered. He stood up, feeling the aching in his limbs and body from the hours of sitting at the controls. He inched over to the sensor for release and pressed his crystal to it. The small sensor registered the Heart's energy and it clicked, revealing the keypad and he swiftly entered the master override code. The lid hissed open and the medic reached in, pulling out the youth and checking the stiches. "We'll need to have that wrapped and stabilized so he doesn't tear them open."

Haruka nodded. "Yes, sir."

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

He grabbed the defibrillator and gave her the order to start rubbing the pads together. The tingle of electricity began to dance along them as she proceeded to rub them together. The medic then turned his attention back to the man who was in a medically induced coma. His wounds had been healed by their hands before they started to tend to his injured son, but the scars would forever remain. At least he wasn't as bad as his wife and kid.

Aki adjusted the man's head before he heard the defibrillator kick into action. He glanced back, the boy's heartrate monitor showing the steady beeping of the heart. It was faint, but it was there. The two kept their eyes on it...

And then it increased, finally stabilizing and they both laughed in relief.

"Well, that's three lives saved," Aki remarked.

Haruka nodded in agreement. "You got that one right, sir!" she laughed.

 _ **We're gonna stand and fight forever (Don't close your eyes)**_  
 **我々はつもり永遠に立つと戦うしています （あなたの目を閉じないでください）**

The man's wife would need a replacement arm, but she would live. And to the two medics, that was the best thing possible.

* * *

 **Cherrygrove City Ruins**

 **Main Square**

 **2200 hours**

Williamson stood outside the Chansey as he hefted his Manectric pulse rifle, his eyes scanning beneath his helmet's visor for any sign of the ghosts as the rain continued to lash at the men and women, mechs and femmes, of the unit. The storm had only halted for a brief few minutes before resuming in its full fury. That gave them just enough time to get a few sheets of waterproof tarp set up as additional shelter.

Simonides looked the LaRoussian over and held up a steaming mug of coffee. "You want some?" he asked.

"Nah. Field ration coffee tastes like Pikachu piss," the soldier said. "Besides, I got my own stash." He grinned before he took a bite of chocolate shavings.

"Chocolate, huh? Works as well." Simonides shrugged.

 _ **No, not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、つもり今夜死ぬことはありません**

Williamson nodded. He checked the remaining grenades on his person and shifted a bit in his chair. "But I will admit, never thought I'd be dealing with a bunch of wild Ghosts," he mused.

"Not as much as we were," the Ransian remarked as he took a sip of his coffee.

 _ **We're gonna fight for us together**_  
 **私たちは一緒に私たちのためつもり戦いです**

Simonides grimaced at the taste. ' _Okay. Looks like he was right. Tastes worse than Pikachu piss though!_ ' He stuck out his tongue and dumped the rest into the brush.

Williamson noticed this and gave a wry grin. "Told you so."

"Shut up!"

"Just saying." The LaRoussian chucked a candy bar. "Better eat that."

 _ **No, we're not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、私たちは今夜死ぬじゃありません**

The master sergeant dug into the candy bar, relieved to have something to remove that icky taste from his mouth. He felt a lot better after that. Now that he had gotten rid of the taste, he dumped the excess coffee he had brewed and turned to face the sergeant major. "So, what's the plan next?" he asked.

"Gonna finish up here and move on out to the north. Violet City's said to be in dire straits, what with Grass-types infesting the place. Also said to be a few Bug-types there infected with some kinda new virus. Not sure if that's true or not, so..." He shrugged. "We'll be on high alert though."

"I think I heard about that someplace before..." Simonides wrinkled his brow as he tried to remember.

"Must've been at a science seminar or something," the LaRoussian joked.

Both men cracked up laughing at that.

 _ **No, we're not gonna die tonight**_  
 **いいえ、私たちは今夜死ぬじゃありません**

"Well, if you're going in that direction, we'll be behind you. You just may need our help," the Ransian advised. He picked up his rifle and checked it over. "And I'm not just talking about in terms of firepower... You may need the Chansey to bail your ass outta dying."

"Heh. Hardly needed," Williamson joked as he glanced back at the rain pouring down still. He reached up and removed his helmet from his head, exposing thick brown hair cut in a military crew cut, and his eyes hardened. He ran a metallic-gloved hand through his hair and sighed. "I would appreciate that though. Who knows what we'll run into out there?"

Simonides nodded and finished checking his rifle, putting it off to the side and taking out of his pack a small protein bar. He took a bite and held it out.

The LaRoussian sergeant major blinked in surprise, but took it and broke off the bottom half, handing the rest back. "Sorry."

"Hey. No harm done. Got three more of these anyway," the master sergeant replied.

 _ **Not gonna die (Not gonna die)**_  
 **ではない死にます （つもりはありませんダイ）**

"I just wanna know though. You sure we can do something against this? I mean... after all we've been through, even my guys admit that we may not have a chance if this keeps up," Williamson admitted.

Simonides pursed his lips as he tried to think of what to say. In his mind, he wasn't sure if they could, either, but if anything, Ransei was known for not giving up in situations like this. The constant conflicts between kingdoms in the past proved that all too well, as did recent attacks by Uxie's forces.

"Honestly, I'm not sure," he admitted. "I mean, Ransei just won't give up on such a matter, and well, if you look at our history, we just don't quit. It has been quite a conflicting quality in the past, but now... it seems to do more good than harm these days. Just not sure about the rest of the world..."

Williamson nodded. "Yeah... figured as much."

 _ **Not gonna die (Not gonna die)**_  
 **ではない死にます （つもりはありませんダイ）**

"I will admit though, there have been rumors circulating about how this whole thing could lead to humanity's extinction, but for the most part, we're not gonna just sit back and let the world die, let alone die ourselves. The warlord Ryuubi Tanaka actually said something once about how Ransei would become the light in the world's darkest hour, so... I'm kind of wondering if he foresaw the future..." Simonides' voice trailed off as he pondered this.

The LaRoussian shrugged as he brushed some strands of hair out of his face. "Maybe, but who knows? I mean..." He sighed. "If he did see this, then you think he was trying to prepare you guys?"

The Ransian shrugged as well. "Beats me. It was over three thousand years ago that it happened."

"Well, then if he did prepare you, he did it well and paid the price for it," Williamson remarked.

 _ **Not gonna die tonight**_  
 **ではない死ぬ今夜**

The Ransian nodded and resumed eating his protein bar. The rain continued to pour down around them, and he briefly thought back home of his boyfriend and two sons. The two would no doubt be worried about their father, and he was also worried that his boyfriend might be getting worried as well. He looked at his PokéGauntlet, wondering if he should call his family. He raised a finger to press the comm button, but then let it fall to his side. He didn't want to worry them even more than they already were. It just didn't seem right.

His mind briefly flashed back to the day he shipped out. He recalled making a promise to his partner and he intended on keeping it. ' _I will make it back home, James. I'm not gonna die tonight. Nor tomorrow night, nor ever until I get back home. That I swear!_ '

* * *

 **All right, peeps! Here comes another chapter! ;D Be sure to enjoy, and keep an eye out for another fanfic in the same series dubbed the Medevan Conspiracy! So enjoy! :)**

 **Ja ne~! ;D**


	18. M49 Keen Eye

**File # 017**

 **M49 "Keen Eye" Sniper Rifle**

 **Type:** sniper rifle

 **Weight:** 5.8 kg

 **Length:** 1082 mm stock extended, 965 mm stock collapsed

 **Barrel Length:** 419 mm

 **Cartridge:** 7.62x51mm UKR

 **Action:** short stroke piston

 **Rate of Fire:** 600 rpm

 **Muzzle Velocity:** 775 m/s

 **Feed System:** 10 or 20 round detachable box mag, optional 50 round drum mag

* * *

 **NOTES**

The one thing that strikes fear into a sniper is another sniper. And out of all the snipers in the world, the legendary Blue Death is known for making kills in excess of 2000 meters, a feat for someone of her young age. Ransian snipers though, are among some of the best, if not _the_ best in the world. Their skill puts them up there with the Blue Death, but none can even match her kill distance. But that doesn't stop them from being a threat in their own way. And to enhance their already deadly skills, the rifle needed is one of the best.

The M49 "Keen Eye" Sniper Rifle is one of the best firearms for the job.

The rifle is outfitted with a powerful scope to allow the user to fire with an amazing degree of accuracy, and its light weight allows it to be easily transported without much bulkiness in comparison to prior sniper rifles. The rounds fired are the United Kingdoms of Ransei 7.62 mm round, for ease of logistics as well as a new prototype incendiary round meant to target and destroy infected bug-types that have been infected by the Parasect virus. While it is a useful weapon in that regard, its primary function is for sniping, and the snipers of Ransei, as well as a few other countries, have said great things about the gun.

The key to the rifle's success comes from its ability to take damage and still keep functioning. Snow, rain, mud, and even sand have gotten into it, but it still works once cleaned out. The gun also can change out up to 75% of its parts with the more well known BRS-415 "Intimidate" battle rifle so it's also an ease on logistics. Such a trait has made it immensely popular even amongst LaRousse's special forces. The sniper rifle also has the additional advantage of having a backwards compatible accessory mounting, meaning it can mount a scope that is compatible with the BRS-415 battle rifle. These two advantages have proven themselves in several ways, such as when dealing with Pokémon or human adversaries on the battlefield or when reclaiming towns from Uxie's forces.

A few other rounds have been tested, but none of them have proven themselves as much as the standard rounds. Though there is talk about outfitting some of the 7.62mm rounds with explosive tips to try and set off bombs when fired at them. Testing done proved it could be done, but it was still a one in fifty chance, or 2% success rate of setting off the bombs. Scientists have also proposed using a shard of aurite to trigger the bombs, as the Heart of Ransei's energy has proven to be sufficient in triggering explosives as in the MC29 "Shuckle" anti-tank mine.

Testing done has supported their suggestion, and the proposal is currently pending with the Technical Research and Development Committee.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"Keen Eye is an apt name for this gun. Accurate as hell!" - Private First Class Helfried Metzger, Company B, 5th Battalion, 85th Ranger Regiment, Avia Army Base Gamma

"Had a hell of a shot, but this gun... That really put the Blue Death on my idols list. But now... Say hello to the Reaper of Spectra!" - Master Gunner Sergeant Emem "Grim Reaper" Ihejirika, Company A, 7th Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, Spectra Army Base Spiritomb

"Killing is not my strong suit. The Keen Eye makes up for that by distancing me from it." - Sergeant First Class Erlea Abaroa, Company C, 3rd Battalion, 509th Armored Infantry, Pugilis Army Base Warsaw

"Sniping is an art. The Keen Eye sniper rifle is the brush. We are the artists." - Sergeant Major Rong Zhang, Company D, 4th Squadron, 91st Calvary Regiment, Ignis Army Base Vulcan

"The Medev Region was something else. But the Keen Eye got me through parts of it." - Lieutenant Dagur Agnarsson, 125th Mountain Warfare Squadron

* * *

 _ **Unknown shores**_

 _ **April 15, 0025 YDR**_

 _ **One hour after noon**_

 _The alehouse was a bustling place as the people sat around the bar, chatting and sharing their stories with one another. Men and women alike passed the ale jugs from one table to the next, hoisting the jugs in the name of the Lord and Lady of the Empire. They praised the achievements of their ancestors, and some even sang the lore of their country. It was a place of enjoyment and prosperity ever since the end of the war, and many a year had passed, leaving bountiful harvests and massive catches of fish. The game was plentiful, and many barrels of wine had been made since the vineyards reached maturity._

 _As they sat and sang, some people began to speak of a new visitor to the alehouse known as_ The Charging Rapidash _. This particular alehouse was one where people came often to chat and tell stories by the fireside in winter, and in the summer it was a well known watering hole for people to stop over during their long travels. And many minstrels came to tell the stories of their patrons. But only one minstrel often told a different kind of story. For the Minstrel of Lore was a well known man, often telling lore of the Empire's past to the new generation of folk._

 _Following the defeat of Uxie the Wise, the Minstrel of Lore became a sacred position, often telling the tales of ancestors long since forgotten, and many enjoyed hearing of the first arrivals to their land, and of the tragedy that overcame the land, only for it to be thwarted by the Children of the Sea Dragon. The Minstrel of Lore often wandered the land for a whole month, telling these tales in alehouses wherever he stopped. But tonight was a special one. For the Minstrel was coming here to the_ Charging Rapidash _. Very few had heard of the tales, because he never came this way. Only once had he been here, and that was over twelve years ago. Now he was here again, and he was going to bring new tales of the past._

 _The door to_ The Charging Rapidash _swung wide open as wind whipped into the room, sending rain lashing inside and soaking the patrons. The man who stepped into the room wasn't very pleased to be in this weather, and frankly he was just glad to get out of the storm. Lightning flashed as he closed the door behind him, throwing the alehouse's chamber back into its semi-darkened state. The warmth of the fire pits was enough to make him smile as he threw back the hood of his tattered cloak to expose well-worn features._

 _His blue eyes were alight as he stepped into the center of the room, his lute in hand._

 _At once gossip and rumor began to spread, with the men chatting like old ladies as the women whispered quietly amongst themselves. The man strode towards a table and took a seat as a waiter approached with a jug of ale in hand. He set it down and the man gratefully took it, nodding with a smile gracing his rough face. He took a swig and eyed the patrons as one or two glanced in his direction. He ran a hand through his long blonde hair and his bright blue eyes shimmered as he set the jug down and grabbed his lute in his free hand._

 _He set the instrument on his lap and began to strum it, the lilting and gentle notes floating through the air._

 _"Ah, good patrons of this alehouse! It is my pleasure to be amongst such fine company," the Minstrel said joyously as he swept his blue gaze around the chamber. "And it is an honor to share the tales of yesteryear with you."_

 _"Oh, Minstrel of Lore! What tales do you bring to our alehouse tonight?" a man asked, raising his mug._

 _The Minstrel smiled as he placed a hand on his lute and began to strum, opening his mouth and singing in a rich, clear voice._

"As the song faded and majesties fell,  
so to did the rest of the world's hopes  
Light began to wither and darkness began to tell  
But abroad there lurked a land  
that always lent a helping hand..."

"The Land of Light began to seek its call  
And the darkness of night was to fall  
But as long as the enemy remained,  
So too would the despair and fear  
So abroad they went, traveling far and near."

"Battling across the seas  
Soaring through the skies  
Traveling faster than Dragonite  
Leaving no traces like Magnemite  
As their foes fell, so to did the lies..."

* * *

 **15 August, 0006 YDR**

 **Unknown shores**

 **1300 hours**

The entire countryside was quiet as the bird Pokémon chirped and sang, swooping overhead as the peasantry went about their daily lives. In the middle of it all, the large castle loomed over the quaint villages and the mighty river flowed through the serene landscape, giving life and sustenance to the villagers and the nobility that lorded over them. A few regal Pidgeot spread their graceful wings and swooped around, their keen eyes picking out the bug-types they feasted upon. One of them tucked its wings close to its body and dove down, talons extended as it grabbed the unfortunate prey and flew back to its nest in one of the towers of the castle.

As it passed over the river, flying towards its tower, the bird Pokémon took no note of the eyes watching it from orbit, zooming in on its location before locking onto the sleek vessel out at sea. The spy satellite adjusted its trajectory as it received a command from the SatCorp. headquarters back in Avia. The cloaking armor, Light Screen reflective plating really, ensured it was well concealed from enemy eyes, primarily those of Raquayza who scoured the upper atmosphere, looking for any satellites that were launched in an attempt to keep humanity divided. But the owner of these satellites was not about to allow humanity to remain divided much longer.

The United Kingdoms of Ransei was basically giving Ho-oh and Uxie the middle finger by launching and establishing a vast network of cloaked satellites.

And right out at sea, the sleek vessel that remained out of sight of the shoreline was observing through the satellite the conditions of the new region.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

On the bridge of the RNS _Gyrados Heart_ , Captain Ryu Kobayashi ran a hand through her greenish hair and narrowed her reddish brown eyes as she studied the radar screen with a keen gaze. Beside her sat the radar operator, LTJG Waheeda Karimi. The man blinked his eyes before he scanned the screen and adjusted his glasses. "Well, we got a vague idea of the layout, ma'am," he replied, "but it's not good enough. We need to wait until further notice from SatCorp. about when they'll get it into position for a better look."

"Damn snake up there thinks he can keep us divided..." Kobayashi growled. "Or rather that overgrown turkey thinks he can. Bad idea though."

Karimi nodded. "True. But remember, that even with our cloaking, he can still shoot them down if we're careless."

The captain snorted. "I know that, Karimi. No need for a reminder."

The Terrara native sighed as he nodded and turned back to his radar screen.

Kobayashi wandered back over to the bridge windows and peered out, her eyes locked onto the horizon as she looked in the direction of the new land they were to investigate. Her mind reflected back on the communications she and her ship had received just three days prior. It had come from this location, or close to it, and it had sounded garbled, messed up, as if people were trying to figure out how the equipment used to send the message. Or as if someone were trying to use a primitive generator to power a radio set.

The woman grasped her binoculars and scanned the horizon with them, her gaze locked onto the direction and she narrowed her eyes at the looming clouds on the horizon. She could see that it was a storm coming and she turned to look at the man in charge of the weather mapping. "Is there a storm front heading through here?" she asked. "I want to make sure it's not a Pokémon-generated phenomenon."

The man turned in his seat to check the weather maps and the satellite footage. The Doppler radar scanned the area and within minutes the screen lit up. He tapped a few keys and he turned to face her. "We do have a storm front heading our way. Natural, not generated. No Pokémon heat signatures detected anywhere."

Kobayashi nodded. "Good." Her gaze didn't even waver as she kept her binoculars fixed on the horizon. "Any broadcasts?"

The communications officer turned to look at her. "Negative. No broadcasts from Signaler Gamma."

The captain snorted. Signaler Gamma was the code sign they had given to the unknown broadcaster who had reached out to them. "Of course. How far are we from shore?"

"Ten hours, give or take a few, at full speed."

She was silent as she finally lowered the binoculars. She was about to speak when the radio began to squawk. The comms officer grabbed the headset and put it on. He started scanning through the frequencies to try and find it.

"Signal from Gamma?" she asked.

"Not sure yet, ma'am," he said, his eyes narrowed. His fingers flew over the console before he finally hit the right frequency. "Got it!"

" _...need...lp... Low on... ene...ing...rea...Anyone...?_ "

The radio suddenly cut out, and the faint hiss of static filled the airwaves. Kobayashi's eyes narrowed as she looked back at her bridge crew. Each of them was silent as they looked at the speaker, their thoughts filled with confusion, as always happened after a signal from Gamma. But this time, there was something more. A sense of... urgency?... had been conveyed through that garbled message.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

"... Ma'am?"

The captain turned to look at her XO, Commander Bjorn Leitner, as he stared at the speaker before he turned his gaze back to the horizon. "Well... seems like they got some trouble," he rumbled in his deep baritone.

"Gee, ya think?" one of the other officers grumbled under her breath. A smack from her fellow sailor earned a few muttered swears before she returned to her duties.

"Yeah. But we can't get any signal. Like all the other times," the comms officer remarked as he finally turned back to face the captain. "Gamma's signal's gone again."

"Well, the message did say something about possible enemies..."

 _ **Are you waiting on a lightning strike?**_  
 **あなたは落雷を待っていますか？**

"Only problem is, what kind of enemies..." Kobayashi muttered under her breath. "There's just so many..." Her eyes narrowed as the ship angled its course to a new path, heading towards shore. Or the coastline, really. The minutes turned into hours as they headed towards the coastline of this new region. As the ship sailed towards the shoreline, the storm continued to roll in, thunder rumbling in the distance and lightning flashing farther out. The first drops of rain began to pitter-patter on the windows of the ship, and she watched as the windshield wipers kicked into action.

The last thing any of them expected was to feel the ship shudder as a large explosion rocked it, and everyone grunted and cried out as they were thrown from their seats or sent sprawling. Only those who had the foresight to grab onto something remained standing or seated. Alarms began to blare and they looked around, the captain regaining her senses and barking out orders. "I need a sitrep! How did we get hit?! And what struck us?!"

"Ma'am, it appears that a seagoing Pokémon was able to slip past our sonar and launch a Bubblebeam attack right for us!" the sonar officer replied as she turned in her seat.

 _ **Are you waiting for the perfect night?**_  
 **あなたは完璧な夜を待っていますか？**

"Any idea as to what kind?" the captain snapped, her eyes flashing.

"PokéDex has no known records... It appears to be... from what I can see on the visual, it's some kind of... submarine?"

Kobayashi's eyes widened as she made her way over and scanned the sonar board, a frown on her face. "You gotta be shitting me! _That_ is what struck us?!"

"Apparently, ma'am," the officer replied.

The Aurora native scowled as she studied the image on the readouts. Her eyes flicked it over, and she gritted her teeth. "An enemy submarine, no doubt!" she hissed.

"Well, whatever it is, it's coming back around!" the officer blurted, shock filling her voice.

The captain blurted out swearing as she turned and barked an order. "Helm, turn us forty-five degrees and increase speed to maximum! Go to the red, and make sure we get away from that thing! The coast is our best bet right now!"

 _ **Are you waiting 'til the time is right?**_  
 **時間が間に合うまで待っていますか？**

The helmsman's eyes widened before he nodded and gunned the engines of the _Gyrados Heart_ to maximum output. The ship's systems hummed as the electricity surged through the hull and wires, the engines whining as they churned out their full horsepower. The destroyer seemed to leap from her position to flying across the water, leaving an impressive wake behind her as thunder tore open the sky and lightning flashed brightly like energy blasts. The large shape trailing behind them breached the waters and sailed through the air, passing right past the powerful warship and slamming into the water, releasing a wave that threatened to swamp them.

Only by some quick maneuvering did they manage to avoid the brunt of the wave, but barely. The stern and starboard side of the vessel got slammed and one of the RHIBs was washed away in the ensuing torrent. "Keep going!" Kobayashi shouted to the helmsman. "We're almost there!"

The ship neared the shallow coastal waters. The helmsman's eyes hardened as he watched the depth gauge tick closer and closer to shallower than their draft. He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands on the helm. His heart was beating double time in his chest and his crystal shard pulsated with his worry and anticipation of the worst.

Then he swung the ship to the right - _hard!_

The _Gyrados Heart_ suddenly swung hard to starboard, the rudder practically straining against its bearings and the hull of the vessel screamed as it strained to hold together. The sudden movement threatened to swamp the ship, but the helmsman willed her to stay on an even keel, _begged_ her even! With his heart and mind focused on keeping the ship steady, the Heart responded, sending energy through the shard around his neck and into the ship itself, a barrier of sorts erecting to keep the ship from turtling over onto its keel. The barrier pushed hard against the waves, keeping them back, and the helmsman felt his strength draining. But he held on.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

The ship finally settled onto an even keel and sped on a parallel course to the ocean and coast, the large unknown shape vanishing back into the depths of the sea as it retreated out of sight. The helmsman pulled back on the throttles and the ship coasted to a slower speed, her engines emitting heat from their metal surfaces. He finally collapsed, feeling the strain of the last few minutes finally overtake him and he passed out where he lay.

"What the hell _was_ that thing?" Kobayashi asked as her XO called down the ship's doctor.

"No idea..." another officer replied as he approached. "But we got another issue coming up." He looked at the comms officer and the man gestured for her. Kobayashi narrowed her eyes as she wandered over.

"Gamma?" she asked.

A simple nod was his answer.

 _ **Don't you wanna learn to deal with fear?**_  
 **あなたは恐怖に対処することを学びませんか？**

The captain took the time to put the headset on and her eyes widened as she heard the message, this time loud and clear, not garbled like the last few hundred times, and it was repeating, too. The voice sounded male, and it had a foreign accent she was not used to hearing.

" _Attention. If anyone is hearing this, I am General Siegfried Von Kraft. I am one of the last few surviving members of the Medevian Armed Forces, and we are in urgent need of supplies. We cannot survive much longer without help. We are low on food, and enemies have begun entering the area. We cannot holdout without supplies. Is anyone there? Anyone?_ "

The message cut out before repeating itself.

She took the headset off and lowered it. "You sure it's real?"

He nodded. "Yes ma'am. We even got a lock on it, it's so strong."

 _ **Don't you wanna take the wheel and steer?**_  
 **車輪を持って操縦したくないですか？**

"Okay. We need to assess the situation and get a better idea before we even head in. Who knows what could be going on here?" Kobayashi remarked.

"Only way we can do that is if the guys back at SatCorp. can divert one of their birds to allow us to look at the region," Karimi replied as he studied the radar screen. "And as you know, that big snake up there is trying to shoot down our satellites. So we have to wait."

The captain growled as she grabbed her PokéGauntlet tablet from her gauntlet and held it up. "I say-"

She was cut off when the radar bleeped. She turned, replacing the tablet onto her gauntlet and looked over. "What's happening?" she asked.

Karimi's eyes narrowed as he leaned in a bit closer. The radar screen shifted as he changed the range scale, showing their position and the location of the coastline. Unlike before when it was blurrier and more hazy, this time it was clear, crisp, and it seemed to be being sent real time to them. "Guess one of the SatCorp. guys got a bird back here for us."

Kobayashi frowned. That did seem a bit suspicious, but she also figured it could be a coincidence. (Only later did she learn it was a happy accident.)

 _ **Don't you wait another minute here?**_  
 **もう一分待っていない？**

She studied the readout map intently. From what she could see, there were fifteen dots on the screen, and each of them had stats and descriptions of them. Each one was clearly a fishing boat, and they varied in size from fifty to ninety, even a hundred feet in length. And each one was prowling close to the coastline. Kobayashi's eyes hardened as she narrowed them. "Dealing with this is gonna be a pain in the ass," she muttered.

"What, those boats?" Karimi asked. "They're just fishing boats."

"True, but they can spot us if we're not careful." Kobayashi was serious as she said this. "This is a five-hundred-foot long DDG, and despite the camo, it's got a hell of a silhouette. Especially in storms like this once the lightning flashes kick in."

As she said those words, lightning flashed and tore open the sky. The only way they were able to even use satellites to peer through was the fact they used radar to map out the area. Also it helped that this flash was bright enough to peer through the gloom.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

The captain's eyes widened as she saw how close they were getting to the boats. She scrambled past the unconscious helmsman who was being checked out by the doctor and grabbed the wheel, wrenching it hard to port and gunning the engines. The ship's bulk turned hard before she straightened her out and dialed back the speed. She set the automatic positioning system and turned back to the others.

"Don't just stand there!" she barked. "Let's get a team together and prepare for land ops! We need to check the coastline and see just how many people are living here, as well as get an idea of the situation. Like whether or not there is a fully functional government, if there are any Hostiles here, or rogue warlords... that kind of stuff."

"Sort of like the shit happening in other regions, right?" one of the other officers asked.

She nodded. "Yes. Like that, Ensign Puskás."

Ensign Markus Puskás ran a hand through his short greyish hair and blinked his dark green eyes. "I hate to be a worrywart, but what if they think us to be an enemy? I mean, I know we have a ship that not many can stand up to, but..."

The captain sighed. "I understand you're worried, ensign, but to be honest, we have to get out there and get a better idea of things. Considering how close this region is to Kalos, well..." She shrugged.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

He nodded, feeling a bit uneasy at those words. He only hoped that things were a lot better than in Kalos...

* * *

 **Unknown region**

 **15 April, 0006 YDR**

 **1700 hours**

The winds nipped at his heels as he ran back to his house, carrying the day's harvest on his shoulders. His back ached, but he brushed it aside as he kept running. His mother would no doubt be disappointed if he failed to make it back before lunchtime. The youth skipped over a rock and turned onto the worn path, his eyes lighting up as he spotted the house in the distance. His entire body was soaked from the rain, and it didn't help matters much as the winds picked up. The youth's eyes widened as he nearly fell from a gust of wind pressing into his back, but he regained his balance and approached the house's front entrance.

He opened the door and made his way inside, closing the door as he dumped his pack on the wooden floor. "Mother, I'm home!" he called.

"About time you got home, Audamar!" his mother replied from the kitchen. "Did you retrieve the harvest like I asked?"

"Yes, mother," Audamar replied as he picked it up and made his way into the kitchen.

Hailwic, a woman in her early thirties, but with striking blonde hair and stunning blue eyes, and with a body many a male desired, turned to greet her son. "Excellent," she responded, a smile gracing her fair features. "Now I can make the bread to go with the soup."

Audamar set the pack down close to her and she picked it up, setting it down on the table. "Now go wash. I will need you to fetch some eggs from the Swanna out back."

The youth nodded before running up to the bathroom and ducking inside.

 _ **You gotta go and reach for the top**_  
 **あなたは行くとトップに達する必要があります**

He hurriedly washed up and threw on some fresh clothing as he ran back downstairs to complete his chore. Thankfully the Swanna house was built close to the house itself, with a small shaft that he used to scurry inside, grabbing the basket close to the entrance. A few Swanna perked up at hearing him and he proceeded to gather the eggs in the basket. He gave a few words to a few before he headed back through the shaft, pushing his load in front of him. His mother was waiting for him when he emerged.

"Here are the eggs, Mother!" he chirped, a smile on his face.

Hailwic responded by kissing him on the cheek before she picked up the basket and headed towards the kitchen to finish her dinner.

Their dinner was to be short-lived though.

Because they were about to be attacked by bandits and raiders from outside their humble little village.

 _ **Believe in every dream that you got**_  
 **あなたが持っているすべての夢を信じて**

* * *

 _ **April 15, 0025 YDR**_

 _The song faded as the Minstrel looked over the patrons of the alehouse._

 _One of the men held up his jug of ale. "O, Minstrel of Lore. What happened next? Did the brigands get their spoils?"_

 _The Minstrel laughed as he strummed his lute. "Hardly, my jolly friend. They were about to be thwarted in the most unexpected way possible. For now we reach the part you all seek. The day the Children of the Dragon came to our beloved shores. And the day they opened our eyes to the Great Truth."_

 _He strummed his lute and began to sing, his rough voice filing the room and his words becoming images in the eyes of their minds._

"As the brigands tore into the land  
There were no men to make a stand.  
Then out of the blue  
Came a shot so true... _"_

* * *

The destroyer's RHIBs sped down the river, their crews gathered and huddled over, as if expecting the worst. The leader of this crew was none other than Rin Kobayashi, her eyes hard as she gripped the M49 "Keen Eye" sniper rifle in her hands. She wasn't that bad a shot with it, but one other member of her crew, Ensign Karekin Davidyan, was an unexpectedly fine shot with the gun. She suspected he had experience with hunting since his family lived in Chrysalia. His eyes flicked over to her.

"You sure about this?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes. This way we can get an idea of what things are like here. Our satellites are useful, true, but sometimes it's best to get an idea on land."

The ensign's eyes filled with worry as the two RHIBs finally coasted to a stop, right near what appeared to be a small little fishing village. A couple of fifty foot fishing boats drifted at their piers and the sails flapped loosely in the breeze, soaked by the rain.

As it stood, the land teams were also soaked, their uniforms clinging to their bodies and their flesh dripping with rain. The vests they wore did little to keep them dry, but their helmets did keep the rain out of their eyes for now. At least until it picked up heavily. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, throwing the area into illumination.

And their eyes widened in shock at the huge mob of men stampeding towards the village.

"Shit!" Kobayashi swore as she grabbed her rifle and a line for the RHIB. She leapt out into the river, landing up to her chest in the icy cold water and she forced the numbing pain aside, her crystal shining with her determination as she waded towards the shore. She gritted her teeth and hoisted the line over her shoulder, rifle held above her head, and grasped the edge of one of the boats' anchor lines. She tossed her rifle onto the dock and scrambled out of the water, pulling herself onto the boat and scrambling onto the dock, picking up her rifle and hurriedly securing the RHIB to the dock.

The XO followed after. Bjorn Leitner looked back over his shoulder as the second RHIB bumped against the pier. Both land teams scrambled ashore, one of them grabbing the MG42-38A "Ice Beam" Freeze cannon and holstering it.

"You gotta be fucking kidding! Using the MG42?!" Captain Kobayashi shouted.

"Better that than a hefty grenade launcher!" the man shot back as he adjusted its strap and ran off, following the commander.

"Shitface isn't gonna hit any of those men..." she muttered as she followed suit.

The villagers were totally unaware of the incoming bandits, let alone the naval land teams as they made their way to the outskirts of the village. Both sides were set to clash, and this one village was where it would all begin.

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

It was now or never.

Kobayashi spotted the bandits' swords gleaming as a particularly nasty lightning strike tore open the sky, and some of the men outside patrolling the village grounds were caught off guard by seeing the mass of men coming for them. Kobayashi's eyes widened in shock as a flurry of arrows came their way, striking down the guards and a few of the Miltank outside heading to shelter.

And some of those same arrows were heading in their direction.

Leitner however, gritted his teeth and ran forward, his crystal shining brightly in the darkness and he thrust his hands out, the Heart's energy surging into his palms and expanding out into a hexagon-plated barrier, shielding his teammates and crew members from the arrows. They pinged off it harmlessly, and some of the men began to panic, looking at the Nixtorm native like he was a wizard or something.

"You'd better make a move, guys! I don't know how long I can keep this barrier up!" he exclaimed.

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

"Right! All right, guys! Move it!" Kobayashi barked.

The land team didn't waste any time. The crew member with the Ice Beam grabbed it and unholstered it, running for the nearby hedge and taking shelter behind it. LTJG Neal Towner narrowed his brown eyes and blew some strands of his sandy-blonde hair out of his face. He aimed his cannon and targeted the closest of the bandits. The bright icy blue beam lanced out, striking the ground and creating a large icy cluster of spikes and, moving it along, he generated a makeshift wall.

Lieutenant Zane Marcenas blinked in shock. "I thought you were gonna kill them!" he blurted.

Towner snorted. "As if! We're not _that_ ruthless! We just gotta buy enough time for the captain to get the town's defenders up and at 'em!"

"If they even _have_ any defenders!" Marcenas shot back as his eyes narrowed. He grabbed his M15 "Bronzong" rifle and pulled the trigger, sending a barrage of bullets in the direction of the bandits. The 7.62 mm rounds peppered the ground and the closest bandits retreated, screaming in their native tongue in terror and fright. The black haired man didn't understand what they were saying, but that mattered little. He could see it in their eyes: they were afraid of these men and women.

Towner's eyes widened, but his surprise was cut short when one of the other bandits swung his club and smashed the icy wall he had created with his freeze cannon. "Aw, shit!"

 _ **You know you gotta give it your all**_  
 **あなたはあなたにすべてを与えなければならないことを知っている**

"Keep them back!" Leitner yelled. His eyes were hard as he strained to keep the barrier up as more arrows flew in his direction. Again, they pinged off of it, but a few ricocheted into the town and struck the earthen and wooden huts. The XO's eyes widened as he saw that and he turned his gaze back towards the bandits. His eyes dilated in terror at seeing the number only swelling in size.

"Oh, fuck..." he moaned.

"How many _are_ there?!" Towner blurted.

"Last count? About a hundred fifty!" Marcenas replied, his eyes hard. "But now? No clue!"

Towner fired again, this time striking the ground and moving the icy beam up towards the bandits. One of them got a frozen leg, and his momentum was thrown off as he landed and shattered his leg into pieces. A howl of agony escaped him and Towner grimaced as he felt his stomach lurch at the sight of the bloodied limb and protruding bone and nerves.

 _ **And don't you be afraid if you fall**_  
 **あなたが落ちるなら、恐れてはいけない**

"How long can we even keep this up?!" Leiter shouted.

"I have no idea!" Towner shot back as he fired again and again, not hitting the men as they came surging forward like a tidal wave of prehistoric animals. The beams missed them, but they either hit the legs or created slippery patches of ice that sent them skidding out. He fired once more, only for an arrow to lodge itself in his right shoulder. He gritted his teeth and his gun slipped, the beam arcing towards one of the men and striking him in the chest. The man's body froze in its tracks and the man's eyes widened as the ice crawled across him and froze him solid, like a giant human popsicle.

The other bandits stared in shock as he fell down, his frozen form shattering into several smaller pieces upon the muddy ground.

All the bandits.

"Uh... I guess that worked...?" Marcenas remarked softly.

Only for his words to be lost in a raging battle cry as they suddenly resumed their offensive.

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

The last thing any of the _Gyrados Heart_ crew members expected at that point was for a large blast of dirt and rocks to be thrown up, sending several of the bandits scurrying for cover.

The familiar sounds of armored vehicles coming their way caught their attention and the captain turned, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief at the tanks emerging from the brush near the village. The tanks were clearly in need of some repairs to their structure here and there, but the tracks and engines were still operational, which surprised the crew as the commander popped his head out of one of them and gestured for them to follow him.

The other two tanks opened fire with their machine guns, driving the bandits back from the village. But who knew for how long?

* * *

 **Unknown shores**

 **Unknown base**

The trip to their hidden base was a long one. For the most part they had to drive, and the crew of the ship had blindfolds on to further confuse them and keep them from revealing in case they were enemies in disguise. The commander of the base, Siegfried Von Kraft, watched the men and women with a wary look in his icy blue eyes. His silvery/platinum blonde hair hung over his eyes partially since it was so long, and he ran a hand through it, brushing his bangs aside.

He frowned at them, and he snorted. Anyone could masquerade as saviors.

The tanks finally came to a stop just inside its perimeters and the men and women hopped off, removing their blindfolds and turning to look around the interior of the cavern they were in. It was massive enough to house a vehicle repair bay that also doubled as a garage, and a small series of caverns were used as housing. A firing range was elsewhere, as they could hear shots being fired. A medical facility was constructed out of some remaining wood and metal, and a portable shelter was being used as a kitchen. An armory stood off to one side, heavily guarded by a few Machamp and their trainers.

"Where _are_ we?" Kobayashi asked softly.

"This is our base. But, due to the fact that we can't trust you yet, we had to make sure you lacked the knowledge of the route to even get here," the old general remarked.

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

Kobayashi was silent as she looked at him, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. From hearing his voice, she concluded he had to be the one who issued that plea. But seeing this... This whole base... It contradicted what she had heard. It was fully stocked, armed, and loaded with supplies of food. His claims about being low made her wonder if he had been lying to try and lure enemies in towards a trap for capture and possible interrogation. If so, they had fallen for it, just like so many before them, she mused grimly.

"And for that matter..." The old general drew back his arm and grasped the pistol around his waist. "Who _are_ you people?" he asked.

The captain merely frowned at his question as he continued. "You are not from around here, and your accents are strange. Plus... no soldiers wear those strange crystals."

"We're from Ransei," Kobayashi explained as she held up her hand to her insignia.

The old general's eyes narrowed at it. He could see the four-pointed compass and orb in the middle, and the sixteen stars around it, with two wings on either side. He hadn't expected that at all. Last he had heard, Ransei was a region of seventeen different kingdoms. But now, here was someone from the same region, but there were sixteen stars instead of seventeen. He pursed his lips as he studied the emblem a bit longer before he looked at her.

Kobayashi could see the interest, but distrust, in his eyes and she sighed.

 _ **Are you waiting for the right excuse?**_  
 **あなたは正しい言い訳を待っていますか？**

"Basically our country had to unite in order to stay in existence. Most of our kingdoms survived, save for one: Viperia, which was destroyed when the Undampening occurred six years ago in 0000 YDR. Our country was nearly torn in two when we went to war against a major terrorist organization, and after several long years, we finally defeated them and united the region under one banner. We took on the name of the United Kingdoms of Ransei to show our new national identity, and well, we recovered. In fact, most of our region's population was still alive," the captain explained. "This emblem is what marks us as the UKR. It's our new flag."

"A likely story. Ransei in all of its history has never once been united like that, even during the Age of Tanaka!" the general growled.

"It's the truth," Kobayashi said as calmly as she could. "We did unite, and come together as one nation. It was either unite and survive, or go down the route of what that big-ass chicken wanted and stay divided as a mere collection of tribes and die. We chose the former over the latter because we _do not want to die as mere savages and cannibals!_ "

Those last few words finally escaped her in a sort of yell, catching the old general off guard as he stared at her.

 _ **Are you waiting for a sign to choose?**_  
 **サインを選択するのを待っていますか？**

"You... What?" Von Kraft's eyes widened. He had only heard snippets of what was going down after he and most of his unit retreated to the mountains, largely due to the lack of proper radio communications. He had known of the fighting that was raging, but to hear that Ho-oh, the once respected - and now feared - Pokémon wanted to wipe out humanity and divide them up for easier pickings was something he had not expected. "Ho-oh... was that crazy?!"

Kobayashi nodded. "Yes. And in the aftermath, things have changed greatly. Ho-oh is now missing and Uxie, his little-know-it-all sprite companion, took over and is now waging war against us in his place. Also, the balance of power has shifted drastically."

She launched into a condensed, but thorough explanation of the war and how it was progressing, along with the new world's nations and of the fates that they knew of. His eyes were wide as she explained about the fighting in Ransei and how it had come to an end, leaving the nation, not splintered, but united under a Supreme Warlord, as a major industrial and technological powerhouse. And on top of that, they had a new power source, leaving them virtually independent of oil and other fossil fuels.

 _ **While you're waiting it's the time you lose**_  
 **あなたが待っている間、それはあなたが失う時です**

The old general was floored by this. He raised a hand to his head and ran it over his grizzled features. "God... I never thought that _you_ of all nations would become so powerful..."

Kobayashi grinned. "Well, we did. And on top of that, we're not sitting back and doing nothing. We're trying to get satellites back up in orbit, but due to that green snake up there, it's a challenge. They get shot down as soon as we use conventional rockets." Her face became serious as she continued. "Our nation's been launching them ever since the end of the Unification a year and a half ago."

"But if conventional rockets get shot down, how do you get them up?" von Kraft asked. "Mass drivers or something?"

A knowing glint appeared in her eyes as a smirk crossed her features.

Von Kraft was stunned by this news.

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

" _Mass drivers?!_ You're _kidding_!" he blurted. "Aren't those the things of science fiction?!"

"Not really. The principle is sound, and of course, we _did_ have the technology to build 'em. So we did. Prior to the Undampening though, we hardly ever used 'em. Only four or five times a year. But now, we're using them almost all the time," the captain remarked. "All eight of them."

" _EIGHT?!_ " the general blurted, his eyes widening. "I-I thought you only had two or three! Not eight!"

"We do. They were built during the Cold War, but they proved to be just as useful for satellite launches, so we started using 'em for that. It helps too, as that green lizard can't shoot down all eight capsules." Kobayashi shrugged.

Von Kraft was stunned by this news. Learning that Ho-oh wanted to shoot down satellites and divide humanity was one thing, but to know that someone was stepping up and attempting to reestablish a global communications network was something he had not expected to hear. And actually, it gave him a sense of hope. Knowing that someone was doing this was a huge relief, because then the world would be able to at least mount a better offensive if it came down to it.

 _ **Don't you wanna spread your wings and fly?**_  
 **あなたはあなたの翼を広げて飛びたいのですか？**

To him, he had only expected the worst of humanity to come forth. And in his time living in these caverns had shown him how bad it was getting. His home region had dissolved into chaos and fighting, with much of its old and ancient infrastructure, such vast tourist destinations, destroyed in the subsequent clashes. And out of it had risen a different kingdom, and one of the worst ones imaginable.

The Theological Empire of Medev was a kingdom run by a theological dictator, and it was neighboring what people called the Outlands, the region where the crew of the _Gyrados Heart_ had come ashore. The subjects were more or less fanatics of the religion Ho-osh, or a belief that Ho-oh's decree urged them to be brutal towards Pokémon. The dictator, a man who called himself the Supreme Lawgiver of Medev, was insistent on his decrees being followed to the utmost letter. And his wife, the Supreme Lady of Medev, was no less brutal.

The men there had all the power and the women were just treated as mere objects and tools and sex slaves while the children were taught their "proper" roles were the ones defined by their physical sex. Girls were demeaned and forbidden from school, except basic reading and basic mathematics. They only learned cooking, sewing, and were forcibly impregnated by older men, no matter who they were, by the time they reached what was considered the "divine age" of sixteen. They were then locked inside the house until the child was born, and if it was a boy, the woman was given a better lifestyle. But if it was a girl, they were raped until they gave birth to a boy.

Men were taught about the divine message, and many were encouraged to become clerics or priests. Most were drafted when they turned ten, and were educated in the ways of the warriors, becoming either diplomats or given different jobs based on their length of military service.

The very ideals they spouted made von Kraft sick to his stomach.

The Outlands, on the other hand, were a mix of cities and whatnot. And they offered more of a chance than anything for a new region to come forth from the ruins.

 _ **Don't you really wanna live your life?**_  
 **あなたは本当にあなたの人生を生きたいと思いませんか？**

Von Kraft wanted nothing more than for his people to be free from the oppression of the neighboring kingdom. But as it stood, the Outlands were a loose collection of different cultures and they weren't as unified as Ransei was. They were all diverse and too busy with their own petty squabbles and problems to deal with coming together to unify the region. The real threat to the whole Medev region was the Theological Empire. And perhaps they were the ones who would win if things continued as they were.

He only wished to see them _live_ , not survive.

His captives all looked at him with a strange look.

The old general blinked his eyes as he looked at them. "What?" he asked.

 _ **Don't you wanna love before you die ?**_  
 **あなたが死ぬ前に愛したいのですか？**

"Your eyes... Your country... it's just surviving, isn't it?" Kobayashi asked, her eyes filled with what he recognized as not pity, but _sympathy and understanding_. He was surprised as he raised his hand to his head and ran it through his hair. He nodded.

"Yeah... I... I just want to see it live, not survive like this..." he whispered.

The captain nodded and walked up to him. "I can understand. We all can. My people... no, our fellow countrymen, were in the same boat as you are now. But we united under the Supreme Warlord once he overcame the divisions we were suffering and well, we learned what it was to _live_ , not survive." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Believe me, living is what we all want to do. But some places... it's just not possible. So we gotta try to do our best and help rebuild. It's a challenge, I will admit, but somebody's gotta try."

"As if it will work with here..." he muttered. "We're just too divided now."

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

"You never know," the captain said as she removed her hand. "Anyway, as for who we are, my name is Rin Kobayashi, captain of the RNS _Gyrados Heart_. We were sent here to try and track down a transmission that said you needed supplies. But as we can clearly see, that's not the case. So, care to clarify that?" she asked, getting back to the matter at hand.

Von Kraft sighed in resignation. "All right. You got me. I set up that fake transmission to lure possible soldiers and other unsavory members of the Theological Empire here so we could take their supplies and gather intelligence on the outside world. But, from what you told me, it looks like their reports were totally inaccurate..."

"Hold on. Why were they feeding you false intel?" Leitner asked as he narrowed his eyes. "That's not right..."

"I honestly have no idea, other than that they were no doubt trying to convince us that there was no one else left," the old general muttered. "At which it was working..."

" _Was_?" Kobayashi frowned. "You mean to tell me that some people came to your region looking for shelter, and they brought with conflicting reports or something?"

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

"That's correct," the general remarked. "The refugees-" He was cut off as a large explosion rocked the base, catching them all off guard. The cavern rumbled as dust and small rocks clattered to the floor, prompting the soldiers and what few civilians remained to take shelter within smaller caverns. The crew of the destroyer all looked at one another before Kobayashi held up a device on her left arm and pressed a few buttons before the screen fizzled.

"Dammitall!" she swore. "I can't get a clear signal down here!"

"Of course not! The rocks isolate us from discovery!" von Kraft snapped as he looked at her. His eyes flashed as he stepped closer. "Who were you attempting to contact, anyway?" His hand drifted to his pistol as another explosion rocked the cavern.

"My ship!" Kobayashi shot back. "Is that a problem?!"

The general opened his mouth to speak, only for a loud rumbling to fill the cavern and they all looked up, dread filling their hearts.

 _ **You gotta go and reach for the top**_  
 **あなたは行くとトップに達する必要があります**

* * *

 _The Minstrel paused as he took another sip of his ale. "Of course, things were only to get worse once the Brigands breached the Cavern and attacked them," he said, raising his jug. "But..."_

 _"When do they begin their assault on the attackers of the Theological Empire of Medev, Minstrel of Lore?" one of the patrons asked._

 _"Patience!" the Minstrel laughed as he set down his jug and strummed his lute. "I have still a ways to go before I can conclude this tale!"_

 _"_ The attackers struck,  
And they were stuck,  
Out of luck, and out of time.  
But then came a surprise out of the grime!

 _"_ The Children let loose their fury,  
The Theologians let loose their rage  
For in this day and age  
That is all that can remain... _"_

* * *

 **April 15, 0006 YDR**

 **Unknown shores**

 **Unknown location**

"The ceiling's coming down!" one of the soldiers cried.

"Shit! We'll be crushed!" von Kraft yelled.

"We gotta get outta here!" the woman screamed.

"I know that!"

The screams and cries barely echoed as the cavern's ceiling began to cave in. The stalagmites fell from the ceiling, crushing the makeshift structures and what armored vehicles were in halfway being ready and repairs. The captain stared in shock as she looked up, and her eyes widened as she stared at the large incoming object through the cracks and holes forming in the ceiling of the cavern. She instantly knew what was happening.

"We got a ballistic missile inbound!" she yelled.

 _ **Believe in every dream that you got**_  
 **あなたが持っているすべての夢を信じて**

"Ballistic missiles?! Oh, shit...!" Leitner's eyes widened in shock and terror, and he gripped his crystal tightly. Even his barriers weren't strong enough to block that kind of a projectile. And their ship was in no way able to track this one. It was a BMS-057 "Raquayza" IRBM, one of the few pre-Undampening weapons to even be as powerful as the "Arceus" ballistic missile.

"We gotta call it in!" someone said. "And now!"

"I dunno if we can get through at this point! And you know how long it takes to get the launch codes approved!" another crew member shouted.

"Well we gotta do something!"

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

Kobayashi's eyes were hard as she gritted her teeth. Now that cracks had opened up in the ceiling, she was able to get a weak signal on her PokéGauntlet. She aimed it skyward and pressed the comm button.

* * *

 **Auroros, Aurora**

 **16 April, 0006 YDR**

 **1100 hours**

" _Sir! We got a message_!"

Spray's eyes jerked up from the report on his desk and he turned to look at the comm unit on his desk. He pressed it. "What's happening?" he asked as it squawked again.

" _It's from the captain of the_ Gyrados Heart! _She says there's a Raquayza IRBM inbound to their current position! They need a shot to take it out!_ " the speaker blurted. " _She is begging, sir._ "

"Has radar confirmed this?" Spray asked. His eyes were hard as he ran through the risks and timetables needed. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Even if they launched one now, it would be cutting it too close for comfort.

" _Yes, sir. The radar, and real-time satellites, has confirmed it. The IRBM will hit their location in fifteen minutes._ "

Spray gritted his teeth a bit more and clenched his fists. "Okay, then. Launch codes confirmed."

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

* * *

 **Unknown base**

 **Unknown shores**

 **15 April, 0006 YDR**

The entire team was in a panic as they scrambled to try and evacuate the wounded in the caverns. The only trouble was that with the ceiling collapsing, the motor pool had suffered a large amount of damage to its vehicles. So they had to rely on other means of getting the wounded to safety.

And that was getting increasingly difficult as people were starting to panic and head for the exits on their own. The chaos was a lot worse than Captain Kobayashi anticipated. She gripped in her arms two young infants as she darted through the crowd, handing them off to a woman she presumed to be their mother before turning and running back into the fray. The crowd was bordering on a riot, and she hissed as she barely avoided getting her foot stepped on by a man running for cover.

The captain's eyes hardened as she ducked around some of the rubble, grabbing a small boy who was wailing for his father. The kid had a broken leg, so she didn't want to risk moving him too much as she handed the youth to his father who came running out of the crowd. She didn't even bother to receive the man's thanks and instead plunged back into the chaotic crowd.

She shot a glance down at her PokéGauntlet, and she snarled as she saw the countdown ticking closer and closer to zero. They only had five more minutes, and she, from what she had heard, knew that an ICBM had been launched. The only problem was that they launched it too late. She only hoped that it would be enough to-

 _ **You know you gotta give it your all**_  
 **あなたはあなたにすべてを与えなければならないことを知っている**

Her thoughts were interrupted as more people started screaming and then men clad in knightly armor and swords came swarming into the gaps left in the cavern's vaulted ceiling. Kobayashi hissed as she grabbed a nearby rifle from one of her troops and held it at the ready across her chest. She turned and ran for the nearest pile of rocks and ducked behind it as the "knights" started cutting down the civilians and rebels, she realized, without as much as a moment's hesitation.

What the hell was going on here?

The first knight to charge her was a man with a huge plume of feathers coming from his helm and he held in one hand a sword and in the other a long lance, that she recognized as being an ancient type once fielded by knights in Kalos, according to the history texts that remained intact. To even see such weapons in this day and age made her reel in confusion.

The knight's hard brown eyes, resembling bronze, glinted as he let out a yell and charged, his sword flashing as the captain brought up her rifle and blocked the blade with the barrel, pressing hard to prevent the blade from cutting her in half.

 _ **And don't you be afraid if you fall**_  
 **あなたが落ちるなら、恐れてはいけない**

His helm hid his lower face, but his eyes were visible and they held within them a mocking sneer. She returned the favor by hardening her own eyes and around her neck her crystal flashed as she drew on the strength the Heart of Ransei was sending her way. Kobayashi let out a grunting scream as she pressed back against the knight's superior strength, and she thrust the barrel up at an angle, a bright beam of light lancing out from a small port underneath it: a beam bayonet.

With a swing of the rifle, she unleashed a shockwave that seemed to scream right for the knight. "Take this!" she roared. The knight harrumphed and slashed with his sword, unleashing a gust of wind that threw her back just as her attack hit his chest plate.

At the same time, she heard the cry of the "Raquayza" IRBM and she gaped in shock as she watched it come down. Everything was in total chaos at this point, she could barely focus on one thing. People were being attacked by so-called knights, an IRBM was coming down on them, and she was thrown back by a gust-like wind attack unleashed by said knight, and a Draco Meteor ICBM was set to impact any minute-

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

Her eyes widened as she saw the glimmer of light, the single streak coming down for the incoming IRBM. It was a long shot, she knew, as they had to have made a really random guess, because there was no way to accurately target such a missile with a tungsten rod. And yet, it seemed like it was coming in hard and fast.

There was no way they'd be able to get out in time once that rod hit the IRBM.

They were doomed.

* * *

 _"_ And so, the Children squealed  
Their fates supposedly sealed.  
But they had on their side  
Ones who could turn the tide... _"_

 _The Minstrel of Lore took a swig of ale as he set his lute down, looking back at the enraptured audience. A smirk appeared on his face as he held his jug aloft. "But fear not, my good folk, because the story has yet to reach its conclusion. The one thing I must admit though is that now, here, is where the Great Truths began to become unraveled..."_

 _"How so?" one woman asked._

 _"Patience, my fine woman..._ "

 ** _What are you, what are you waiting for?_**  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

* * *

 **Unknown shores**

 **15 April, 0006 YDR**

Kobayashi was sure they were doomed.

There was no way out of the caverns. Not with the interior entrances blocked by debris and with those "knights" running around slaughtering the innocent and wounded.

The next thing she knew, there was a cry as real and as ethereal as the unknown worlds they had heard of, and she felt herself flickering and fading from reality, along with those that this cry reached. She looked around before her vision went dark, taking in the supposed last sight of her fellow crewmen and women trying to valiantly save those they could before the missile hit.

Then everything went dark.

 _ **Tell me what you're waiting for**_  
 **あなたが何を待っているか教えてください**

Of course she was still conscious, which threw her for a loop. What had happened? Was she dead? If so, then it was quick. She figured the rod must've struck the missile and unleashed some kind of shockwave that killed everyone in the caverns. But if that were the case, then why was she still thinking clearly?

The next thing she knew, there came a sensation akin to falling and she found herself falling towards a bright white light...

Her eyes snapping open once she passed through. Her chest heaved and she gasped as she jerked upright, suddenly going into a coughing fit before she regained control of herself and she looked around.

Kobayashi was outside, along with everyone else who had been in the caverns at the time of the inevitable missile impact, save for the dead and those so-called "knights." But now, there was a large field they were in, and around them stood large oak trees every so often. She cast her gaze back in the other direction and her eyes widened as she stared at a large group of Gardevoir, each of them having clasped their "hands" together.

 _ **Show me what you're aiming for**_  
 **あなたが目指しているものを見せて**

They were in a deep trance, and the captain was shocked. Had these Pokémon saved them?

Behind her von Kraft was also in shock. He started muttering in his native tongue as he rubbed his head, looking left and right. His broad shoulders shook as he finally broke down crying, collapsing to his hands and knees in his sorrow. His hat fell off his head and he could no longer contain his anguish. The man grasped at his arms and he just shook as he sat there on his knees, bent over in his sadness and despair.

Kobayashi heard his sobbing and turned to look at him, her eyes softening as she approached. As she knelt beside him, a deep, rumbling boom resonated across the landscape and she looked up, her eyes widening as she stared at the huge mushroom cloud blossoming in the darkening night sky. The flash was far enough away to make it dim enough to see, but still bright to leave spots in her vision.

 _ **Whatcha going to save it for?**_  
 **それを救うつもり？**

Her eyes hardened as she gritted her teeth, feeling the hatred welling up within her. The hatred for those who had attacked civilians and wounded, and launched that IRBM. Her crystal hummed with her rage, glowing brightly as she clenched her hand around it.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned, looking into Leiter's eyes. He motioned with a hand at the cluster of Gardevoir, and Kobayashi's eyes widened as she got to her feet, tensing as the Pokémon slowly removed their "hands" from their circle formation and one of them opened her eyes.

 _I see you are unharmed, are you not?_ she asked in a mental voice.

The captain, still in shock, nodded as her thoughts drifted to her ship. Had they survived the explosion?

 _As for your ship and crew, they are unharmed. They left the area once the missile was inbound._ The leader of the group smiled thinly. _It was only by luck they got out in time. I doubt many of them avoided getting bombarded with the radiation though._

 _ **So whatcha really waiting for?**_  
 **だから本当に待っている？**

Kobayashi's eyes widened before they hardened in distrust and wariness. "Just why did you save us? And what is your motive?" she asked, clenching her crystal in her hand and feeling the heat from the Heart.

 _I can sense your distrust of us, given the situation at hand,_ the leader said, her eyes glimmering in understanding. _Our motivation is rather simple: we wish to help you. And as for why, well... you know the reason why, do you not?_

The captain's eyes narrowed. "If you mean because of our desire, then-"

She was cut off as the Gardevoir shook her head. _Not that. Your nation is perhaps the one best suited to bring about an end to this conflict that Ho-oh started six years ago, on the last day of the Beforetime Calendar. Ransei has always had a historic link with Pokémon, has it not?_

 _ **Everybody's gonna make mistakes**_  
 **誰もが間違いをするつもりです**

"Yeah, I guess that's true, but still, how can we be sure you're not trying to turn us into your servants or slaves?" Kobayashi asked, her eyes narrowing a bit more.

 _You cannot, that much is true. But what if you're wrong about us?_ The Gardevoir frowned. _There is much more at work here in this land than you have been informed of... And not all of it is good news... In fact, most of it is bad. And that kind of news could affect the way you see the world in this day and age. I know from your thoughts you see the world as needing hope... and you are correct in that. Hope is a commodity long forgotten, and a very rare concept in areas that are suffering the worst of this event._

"What exactly are you getting at?" Leiter asked, surprising both females. "How can this affect our view of the world? And most importantly, are you hinting at some kind of conspiracy?"

 _ **But everybody's got a choice to make**_  
 **しかし、誰もが**

The Gardevoir nodded her head. _I am._ Her telepathic voice was hard and serious as she narrowed her reddish eyes. _A conspiracy that has been long in the making here within this land. It will explain more about the political situation, and more importantly, it will open your eyes to what should be done._

"What kind of conspiracy?" Kobayashi asked her.

 _One that involves the Theological Emperor and his ancestors. One that goes back hundreds of years, and has connections to this very event,_ their savior admitted. _I may not know all the details, for that is for you to find out. But know this: the Emperor's family has been in on this from the beginning. And in dealing with this event, your future will be determined by the actions you and your allies will take. If you falter, and hesitate, then..._ She paused, looking down in a grim silence.

 _ **Everybody needs a leap of faith**_  
 **誰もが信仰の飛躍を必要とする**

Everyone was silent as she closed her eyes. _The whole thing starts with Ho-oh, and as you know, his desire to wipe out human life on Earth to create a paradise for Pokémon. But what he doesn't know is that you and us... we are all living inhabitants of this world. So why should we wipe out you humans? You share the same air, water, and food as us. Why kill you? That is what puzzled us, and made us worried._

"You said this ties in with Ho-oh's desire... and the Emperor's family. What did you mean by that?" Kobayashi asked. She gripped her crystal as she sensed a spike in the temperature around them; the air was starting to heat up from the explosion further away.

 _What you need to know can be found in the past on the massacre more than 700 years ago in the Beforetime. You must delve into history long forgotten and lore long since forbidden in this land. There are places you can seek, but it will require much effort and determination to seek it out. Are you sure you wish to do this?_ the Gardevoir asked.

 _ **When are you taking yours?**_  
 **あなたはいつあなたを服用していますか？**

* * *

 **Unknown shores**

 **15 April, 0025 YDR**

 _"_ The Children had a choice  
And only one would show  
What they needed to know  
Or else all would vanish below...

 _"_ This was the cause that they sought  
Lest all they believed in was for naught  
The choice they made  
Would determine the world's fate. _"_

 _The Minstrel lowered his lute before he strummed it and hummed a few tones. He had a smile on his face as the words to conclude his song came to his mind. He could tell the folk at the_ Charging Rapidash _were as intrigued as the foreigners to their realm, and even the Lord and Lady had asked for the full details. Not very many had been as intrigued or enthralled by the Song of the Children, as it was still a fairly new legend. But it did hold great history and he was one to pass on the songs of the olden days. He opened his mouth and resumed his song._

 _ **What are you waiting for?**_  
 **何を待っていますか？**

 _"_ With no one else,  
The Children has nothing to lose  
So their choice they made  
For now the final card was laid... _"_

* * *

 **Unknown location**

 **15 April,** **0006 YDR**

The group was in shock.

The very fact that a conspiracy was going on was one thing, but to learn it was through the efforts of the Theological Family going back hundreds of years to Ho-oh's massacre of a village was another.

Kobayashi raised a hand to her forehead in shock. "God... I... This is..." Her voice trailed off; she had no words to describe her feelings at the moment. "How...?"

 _That is unfortunately beyond our knowledge and understanding,_ the Gardevoir explained as she raised her "hands" helplessly. _Only you can find the truth._

"The truth...?" Everyone was silent as they looked at one another, confusion filling their features.

 _ **You gotta go and reach for the top**_  
 **あなたは行くとトップに達する必要があります**

Suddenly, the Gardevoir perked up, her eyes widening. _You are not safe here. You must leave. Some of us will be waiting further down the field to get you back to your ship. Be careful, and may the Gods look upon your safe return._

With that, she and her compatriots fled, leaving only the Ransians and Medevan rebels behind. Kobayashi was in shock as she felt her crystal pulsing with an unknown emotion. She could sense it, and it was clearly not one she liked.

"We got trouble!" she barked, grabbing her sniper rifle and holding it at the ready.

She whipped her body around just as the next thing she knew an arrow bolt zipped by her chest, just barely missing her uniform.

 _ **Believe in every dream that you got**_  
 **あなたが持っているすべての夢を信じて**

"We got company?! But how'd they know where we were?!"

"Shit! Think it's those fuckers from before?!"

"Hardly! That IRBM blew the whole base to smithereens!"

"Then who-"

The voice of Towner was cut off as an arrow struck him in the throat and Leitner barely erected his barrier in time as his crystal pulsed with the Heart's energy. Her gaze suddenly snapped over to her left as von Kraft lay in a sobbing heap on the ground. "Oh, shit!" she muttered, running towards him as fast as she could.

He didn't even last as an arrow nailed him in the back of his neck, right at his brain stem.

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

"Dammitall!" Kobayashi yelled as she ran for the cover of the closest tree and started scrabbling up like a Mankey. Her eyes were hard as she reached a sturdy tree branch and she got into a sniping position, her rifle pressed to her face as she watched the incoming horde of tribesmen and women.

"Shit! We got Wilders!" someone shouted over her comm. She brushed it aside though and remained still as the crew began to fight back, using their nown weapons and abilities granted to them by the Heart of Ransei. Her eyes were focused as she scanned the blossoming battleground below her, and her mind went into overdrive. She knew from experience in dealing with tribes that surfaced in the wake of the Undampening that to drive them back, one had to exterminate the chieftain.

It was a lot like killing bugs, and it made her sick to even think such things.

But in this new world, what choice was there?

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

She shifted and waited, her gun aimed at the chieftain's head...

Her eyesight seemed to sharpen as she lay there, the barrel tracking him as she moved it, taking care to not fall off her perch as she did so. She could feel her heartbeat settle down as she went into her sniper's mode. Everything else, the cries of the tribesmen and women, the men and women of her crew, their attacks, the firing of their guns... it all faded and became nothing but white noise as she focused on that man.

Her finger tightened on the trigger...

And within mere seconds, the bullet was sent flying down the barrel.

The chieftain didn't know what hit him as the rifle's round impacted, blowing his brain out into grey matter.

 _ **You know you gotta give it your all**_  
 **あなたはあなたにすべてを与えなければならないことを知っている**

The single shot rang out across the battlefield, but it was drowned out by the noise of all the other gunshots. Yet it was that single sight of the chieftain falling that sparked the onset of panic in the tribe.

For the briefest of moments, the tribe paused in their attacks. Her forces paused as well, half-expecting the worst to happen.

And then all hell broke loose.

 _ **And don't you be afraid if you fall**_  
 **あなたが落ちるなら、恐れてはいけない**

The tribesmen and women went _nuts_. Screams of rage and fury unleashed themselves from their hosts and they let loose with the primal instincts that had asserted themselves six, almost seven years ago. Nails and teeth became weapons as they started to tear into their attackers, becoming little more than wild animals, their savage roars becoming lost as the sailors of the _Gyrados Heart_ and any remaining soldiers of the Medev Defense Forces combined their firepower and attacks into one.

Kobayashi's eyes went wide as she stared in shock. She had never expected this to happen, let alone so suddenly. Normally the tribesmen and women left in a panic. They didn't devolve into savage brutes like this!

Her mind started to race before she leapt off the tree limb and landed, running into the fray as she ignited the beam bayonet on her rifle and started swinging to cut her way through the horde of primal humans. Blood spurted from the wounds, and every so often a man or woman collapsed, their heart punctured by the blade. She grunted as some of it splattered on her face, but she brushed it aside as she finally reached the circle where Leitner had summoned his barrier.

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

All around them the Wilders kept attacking in a frenzy, much like a pack of wild animals. Her eyes were wide as she spun around, blocking a Wilder man with her beam bayonet and struggling to keep the man at bay. She could see the insanity and primal, animalistic instinct within his wide grey eyes, and his teeth gnashed at her nose as he tried to grab her face and pull her in. Kobayashi gritted her teeth, and with a surge of adrenaline rushing through her, she pushed him back, forcing him away and whipped her rifle around, the beam bayonet striking his neck and severing his jugular vein.

Blood oozed out, pumping out in time with his heartbeat.

She spat a bit of blood out of her mouth and turned as Leitner glanced her way. "We're about to be swarmed!" he remarked. "We gotta bug outta here!"

"Don't think I don't know that!" the captain shot back as she looked around them.

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

It was no longer a coordinated battle.

It was an all-out brawl.

Kobayashi panted as she reached up a hand to wipe away at the sweat on her brow, but she was forced to leap back as a Wilder woman swiped at her with nails covered in grime and blood. Her eyes narrowed as she whipped her rifle around, clubbing the woman with the butt of her rifle. The captain snarled as she held her rifle in her hands, ignoring the blood and brains clinging to the stock of her sniper rifle. She could feel her heart racing and she heard this annoying beeping in her ears.

She brushed it aside though before she spotted Leitner waving to her, waving his arm over his head. His PokéGauntlet was flashing repeatedly, and she saw the nuclear hazard sign flashing a bright red.

"Oh, shit!" she grumbled. "Rad?"

 _ **You gotta go and reach for the top**_  
 **あなたは行くとトップに達する必要があります**

He nodded. "Yeah! We got about fifteen minutes before it reaches critical! We won't last unless we can get outta here and back to the ship!"

That was the last thing she heard before she felt a searing pain in her neck, followed by something warm oozing out of the newly created gash. Her eyes widened as she saw a Wilder pull away, tearing a good chunk of her flesh off her throat. A gurgling gasp escaped her, and then everything went dark.

* * *

 **Unknown location**

 **Unknown date**

 **Unknown time**

Darkness...

Nothing...

No feeling...

And yet, she was still aware.

She could still think, so therefore she still lived.

The only question was... was she dead... or alive?

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

Captain Rin Kobayashi of the _Gyrados Heart_ struggled to open her eyes, but found she couldn't.

Panic overcame her awareness and she started to scream in her thoughts.

And yet, there was a small part of her that urged her to use logic. She had heeded those words once before, but now... it was like it was a niggling feeling in her brain. And at the same time it wasn't.

What was going on?

Her sight slowly started to come back to her, but it wasn't like when she opened her eyes. Instead it was more like it was slowly fading into view. She could vaguely see shapes huddling around her battered body, and she groaned.

 _ **Believe in every dream that you got**_  
 **あなたが持っているすべての夢を信じて**

Her vision finally cleared and she could see that the people gathered around her were those of her crew and several medical doctors and... was that a technician there? She slowly turned her head, and she could feel something was off. It was like... she had no words to describe the alien sensation she felt within her neck as she turned her head to the other side. The only description she could come up with years later was that it felt like gears.

"Captain Kobayashi?"

The words of Supreme Warlord Krane caught her attention and she jerked her head to look in his direction.

The warlord stood there, his scarred and tanned face etched with worry, his brown eyes filled with concern and his black hair framing his face. He wore his usual trench coat with the sleeves missing, and she could see how haggard he looked.

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

"How are you feeling?"

Kobayashi coughed harshly, wincing to herself at the sound of it before she spoke. "Like...hell..." she rasped, reeling in shock at the mechanical undertone her voice now held.

"That's to be expected, especially after the transfer," the technician said as he folded his arms. "Unfortunately, we had no choice but to transfer your mind into a GUNDAM frame to keep you alive. That wound to your neck was bad enough that you nearly died en route back to Ransei."

Her eyes widened as she slowly sat up, feeling the sensations of a new body and looking down at her now mechanical hands. She gaped in silent shock, unable to believe this.

"But... I never applied...!" she gasped, her eyes dilating in her shock.

 _ **You know you gotta give it your all**_  
 **あなたはあなたにすべてを与えなければならないことを知っている**

"Not every soldier who is wounded does apply. Sometimes it can be done if the situation is desperate enough. And believe me, after what your crew went through, you are needed more than ever, as you were the only ones to reach the new region," Warlord Krane explained, relief flooding his form. His shoulders sagged and he smiled a bit. "After all, you're still a destroyer captain."

Kobayashi slowly lifted her head and she gazed at Leitner, his face filled with relief as he stepped closer to her. "I'm sorry, Rin. But this was the only way..." His voice trailed off as he clenched a hand on his crystal.

"You did what you had to do. I can't blame you," she said, finally sighing in resignation. "Not like I can go back now, anyway."

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

She then turned to the warlord. "Sir, we also learned some very interesting, and disturbing, news while there..."

* * *

 **Aurora Castle**

 **Auroros, Aurora**

 **18 April, 0006 YDR**

Spray gritted his teeth and looked back at the satellite images of the newly discovered Medev region, his eyes narrowed. "Dammit... All this starting over 700 years ago in the old calendar years? Man... who'd have guessed?"

He sat down at his desk, looking over the notes he had taken when Kobayashi explained what they had learned. It wasn't much, but from what he heard, it appeared that there were two conflicting parties, and only one had an unfair advantage due to numbers, despite their out-of-date technology. And when coupled with the Wilders roaming the countryside, it seemed as if it were something out of the Dark Ages. His body shuddered and he grimaced.

 _ **You're only living once so tell me**_  
 **あなたは一度だけ生きているので、私に教えてください**

His eyes narrowed a bit more at the thought. What the hell was this conspiracy? How did it tie into the Undampening six years ago, and how did this Theological Lawgiver or whatever his title was, connect to Ho-oh's massacre of so many lives in one village?

These were just some of the questions that needed answering. And he was sure as hell not gonna let these go unanswered like so many others were in the past.

He grasped his PokéGauntlet's tablet and latched it onto his gauntlet before dialing in the comm lines for the other warlords. "Guys, it's Spray. Get your asses down here to Aurora. We just got some news on the new region, and you have to hear it."

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

* * *

 _ **April 15, 0025 YDR**_

 _The Minstrel of Lore took a gulp of his ale before he set it down. "Thus... concludes the first chapter of the tale," he said. "But the next tale shall be of how they start to seek out the truth..."_

 _One of the women held up her jug of ale. "Oh, Minstrel. Why must you leave us in such suspense?" she asked._

 _The man chuckled as he strummed his lute. "Ah, my fair lady, 'tis not appropriate to spell out the course of events in one sitting. I prefer to let them come in chapters of the same tale," he mused gently._

 _ **What are you, what are you?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何ですか？**

 _"So you shall continue next time you pass yonder?" a man intoned, looking the Minstrel in the eyes._

 _He laughed loudly, throwing his head back in joyous merriment. "I shall, indeed, my friend! But for now, this tale shall come to an end. But there is one thing that I shall sing before I take my leave..."_

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？**

 _As he strummed his lute, his song rang out and people resumed their normal activities at the alehouse. But to those who came and went, his stories would forever be remembered. He failed to notice though the one patron who left, a smile gracing her face as she exited into the night. She passed out of the small village, the lights from the houses throwing her features into light._

 _Her face was not that of human origin, but rather possessed the faceplate and eyescreens indicative of a GUNDAM Soldier of Ransei, and her twin V-fins reflected her status as a commander or ship captain. Her core hummed with happiness at the evening's activities, and she threw back her hood as she tossed the cloak aside once out of the village's boundaries._

 _ **What are you, what are you?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何ですか？**

 _Captain Rin Kobayashi ran as fast as she could for the exit spot marked on her HUD, and she could detect the incoming engines of the helicopter from further out. Her feet pounded the grass as she neared the rendezvous and the helicopter hovered down, its engines roaring in her audios. She grasped the rope as it came down, and after a few tugs, the helo lifted off, carrying her with. But as she looked down, the Supreme Warlord's words came back to her._

 _"_ The next mission is going to be one of the toughest. You sure you're up for it?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"Then what are you waiting for? I expect it to be done with flying colors."

 _ **What are you, what are you waiting for?**_  
 **何ですか、あなたは何を待っていますか？"**

 _Yeah._

 _"Well?" she called up. "What are we waiting for?"_

* * *

 **SatCorp - Short for Satellite Corps - a branch of Ransei's military dedicated to keeping and maintaining the current fleet of cloaked satellites within Earth's orbit. They also keep an eye on their orbits to make sure that Raquayza doesn't shoot them down, altering their orbits whenever the legendary Dragon-type is in the area, seeking out human refuse in his domain. The Corps is constantly on guard, always watching and maintaining awareness of the situation in orbit. The motto of the group: "Always watching, always vigilant, always ready."**

 **Wilders - humans who have gone mad with primitive instinct. They live as tribes and have no concept of modern technology, shunning it to live in a simpler time. That lifestyle is what Ho-oh wanted for humanity, and why Ransei is so dead set on preventing it from coming about on a global scale in the first place.**

 **The Medev Region has just made its debut!**

 **As of the Undampening, it has taken on more of a medieval style lifestyle, right down to the monarchy. So, expect the region to have some throwbacks and ancient weapons. Also, the hinting of a conspiracy will begin to unfold as time passes... ;) So keep your eyes open for the Medevian Conspiracy series, peeps~! ;D**

 **I do not ~!**


	19. A-12 Fire Blast

**File # 018**

 **A-12 Fire Blast Close Air Support Fighter Jet**

 **Type:** Close air support ground attack aircraft

 **Crew:** 2

 **Length:** 16.26 m

 **Wingspan:** 17.53 m

 **Height:** 4.47 m

 **Wing area:** 47.0 m²

 **Empty weight:** 11,321 kg

 **Loaded weight:** 13,782 kg

 **CAS mission:** 21,361 kg

 **Anti-armor mission:** 19,083 kg

 **Max. takeoff weight:** 23,000 kg

 **Powerplant:** 2 × Avia International TF34-GE-100A HoR-charged turbofans, 40.32 kN each

 **Internal fuel capacity:** 4,990 kg

 **Never exceed speed:** Mach 1.2 (1,471 kph) VNE

 **Max speed:** 1,470 kph

 **Cruise speed:** 560 kph

 **Stall speed:** 220 kph

 **Combat radius:**  
\- _CAS mission:_ 1800 km at 1.88 hour loiter at 1,500 m, 60 min combat  
\- _Anti-armor mission:_ 1850km, 75 km sea-level penetration and exit, 180 min combat

 **Ferry range:** 10,150 km with 50 knot (90 km/h) headwinds, 120 minutes reserve on crystal charge alone

 **Service ceiling:** 13,700 m

 **Rate of climb:** 30 m/s

 **Thrust/weight:** 0.36

 **Armaments:**

 _Gun_ \- 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GBU-7/A Revenger rotary cannon with 1,174 rounds (capacity 1,350 rd)

 _Rockets_ \- 4× LAU-61/LAU-68 rocket pods (each with 7× "Aqua Tail" rockets respectively)

\- 4× LAU-5003 rocket pods (with fifteen Aqua Tail rockets)

\- 6× LAU-10 rocket pods (with 19 Aqua Tail rockets)

 _Missiles_ \- 2× AIM-9 Ekans air-to-air missiles for self-defense

\- 6× AGM-65 Stealth Rock air-to-surface missiles

 _Bombs_ \- Due to the variety of bombs, not all will be mentioned on this list, nor will they be mentioned in the notes on the aircraft. But we will say that the variety includes unguided, laser guided, and cluster bombs. The hardpoints for these are considered the only universal hardpoints in use on any HLC/Ransian aircraft

 _Other_ \- Chaff dispenser pod, ECM pod, fuel tanks to extend the range, targeting pods, or aurite flares to blind enemy sensors and disrupt vision for a few moments

* * *

 **NOTES**

Close air support is very important in modern day battlefields, and it is just as important in the years after the Undampening. With rising tensions between allies and rogue Pokémon still hoping to carry out Ho-oh's mandate on killing humans, it has become a vital piece of military doctrine. The forces of the anti-Pokémon faction continue to rise in numbers, prompting many to consider new methods of close air support, or CAS as it is known. There have been many attempts to develop an aircraft of such a role, but none of them have had as much success as the legendary A-12 Fire Blast close air support ground attack aircraft.

The Fire Blast is one hell of a piece of machinery, and its ruggedness and durability has become somewhat of a legend amongst the allied forces, and even our enemies have to admit they are hard pressed to develop a plane to even match its capabilities. The mere sound of those engines is said to instill fear into enemy forces, and some even say that the mere whisper of its name is enough to force the enemy to reconsider attacking key installations or civilian towns where allied troops are stationed. The plane, while not as sleek or graceful as some of our more modern jets, is actually pretty ugly when looked at up close. But that ugliness is what makes it so formidable, and some say that seeing it when it comes in makes it all the more beautiful in their opinion. So this thing is actually a case of an ugly Psyduck hiding a beautiful Swanna underneath all that armor plating.

The reason the plane is so durable is its rugged, straight-wing design and the armor plating that covers it. The engines are of the durable and robust TF34-GE series, which has shown to be incredibly tough and able to have the damage repaired quickly, and as such have been left alone in terms of durability and structure. The only real change was to include aurite shards within the metal of the fan blades, allowing the energy of the Heart of Ransei to increase speed and decrease fuel usage. The inclusion of these shards has sparked a huge increase in overall combat performance, meaning these aircraft are now at the forefront of all CAS operations. The Heart's energy also reduces engine emissions and heat signatures of the plane.

For countermeasures, the plane has multiple attachments that could be used to disrupt enemy forces, but a recent development has included a new addition: aurite flares. The flares, really just phosphorus mixed with aurite, have actually been shown to disrupt the eyesight of an enemy for even a few seconds, allowing the pilot of the A-12 to get the jump on them. These flares generally glow a bright bluish white, and can glow as bright as a miniature star. So all pilots have to have special darkening visors to protect their eyes. This works by shifting the glass's tint to a darker hue as soon as the light reaches it. Most pilots report that they've had to dive or climb to avoid looking directly at the flares, because they also risk losing their vision, despite the darkening glass installed on their flight visors.

The armor is perhaps the thickest part of the plane, ranging from 13 to 38 mm in thickness, and the entire cockpit and flight controls are protected by a "bathtub" of 540 kg of titanium aircraft armor, and all controls are backed up by a simple mechanical cable system which is much harder to shoot out, so if any hydraulics are lost, then the pilot is still able to fly the plane via wire, so to speak. This has happened before, and it has proven to be a lifesaver, although the control forces are a bit greater than normal, requiring that the pilots of these planes be physically strong as well. To further protect against damage, the fuel tanks are situated away from the engines and are more or less in the fuselage, making it harder to shoot them and blow up the plane. The plane is also designed to fly on one engine, with half its tail gone and a wing missing.

Another feature that makes this plane so remarkable is its ability to be maintained with limited resources, meaning in airfields that have been destroyed by bombing or fighting, it can be repaired and maintained while stationed at said airfield. The A-12's parts are also interchangeable with both sides of the plane, which means that any part from the left side can be replaced with one from the right side and vice versa. It's an unusual trait that has saved many of these planes from being scrapped or destroyed. Most planes have been cannibalized this way, but since it is so rugged and durable, the Supreme Warlord pushed for reintroduction of the plane's production line. Blueprints have been dug up, so it will be a few years before we see any more of these planes flying in the skies above trapped friendly forces to save them.

What's really impressive to many pilots is the fact that damaged armor plating can be replaced rather easily, even with makeshift materials should the need arise. It is not recommended though as pilots have sometimes reported the makeshift armor being destroyed or lost, forcing them to retreat for more thorough repairs.

The A-12 is primarily known for the durability, but that doesn't mean it's unarmed. In fact, its payload is considerably greater than most CAS aircraft armed with missiles and rockets. The reason for this: it possessed a huge 30 mm GBU-7/A Revenger Gatling cannon on the underside of the nose. This gun was developed to be an anti-tank weapon, although in recent years it has proven to be a very deadly, very effective anti-Pokémon weapon. Pilots even reported using the rounds to disrupt and shred Corpecept that have attempted to attack and assimilate the dead of Fiore before dropping a napalm or incendiary bomb on them. The gun's impressive tank busting ability has led critics to say that it is actually overpowered. And while some agree, most pilots actually have only good things to say about the aircraft and its massive gun. This has led Ransei's High Command to request that the plane be put back into production for military use.

Some pilots though complain that the plane is not suited for the proper role of CAS and they feel it is too limited in that role. Those pilots often admit that while it is a useful and handy plane, they'd rather prefer to be flying "true, pure-bred fighter jets" instead of what some claim is "an ugly tin can piece of shit they call a plane."

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"This plane is one hell of a beast! Tough, rugged, durable, and reliable!" - Major Fannie Akers, 77th Fighter Squadron, 24th Fighter Group, Moon Air Base, Avia

"There is nothing really bad about this plane. It's a miracle in metal." - Erik Hans, 12th Air Wing Maintenance, 24th Fighter Group, Moon Air Base, Avia

"Just when you think you got had, then you get a surprise waiting in the wings! Literally in this case." - Staff Sergeant Rosa Draganov, 347th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Wing, Eleventh Air Force, Twister Base, Cragspur

"That gun is badass! BRRRRT!" - Captain Nancy Walkins, 347th Fighter Squadron, 365th Fighter Wing, Eleventh Air Force, Twister Base, Cragspur

"Hell of a plane. Nothing can shoot it down. Well, almost nothing..." Supreme Warlord Spray Krane on the plane's performance during invasion drills at a press conference

* * *

 **Pueltown Ruins**

 **Almia**

 **14th July, 0008 YDR**

 **0400 hours**

The whir and whine of rockets and attacks shattered the quiet air of the remains of Pueltown in Almia.

All around them, the ruins stood out. Jagged skyscrapers clawed their way into the early morning sky, and the fires of several dozen houses raged in the background as the street shimmered with the intense heat. Piles of rubble lay on the roadway, and behind these remains huddled several shapes, all of them bearing a distinct mechanical nature. The shapes, revealed in the light from a burning tank to be Ransian GUNDAM Soldiers, broke out from under cover, one of them firing the M15 "Bronzong" assault rifle at a cluster of Toxicroak as they swarmed out from the shadows.

The GUNDAMs split up, the one with the rifle spinning around and slashing with the beam saber before landing as the two halves of the Pokémon fell to the ground on either side of him. Staff Sergeant Dionisio Leccese looked back over his shoulder at his teammates as they fought back the Toxicroak horde and he narrowed his eyes as he got his saber and rifle ready for the group as some came at him. His Assault frame was one of the new Tanker Assault line, and it showed with the "Kecleon" camouflage armor, able to adjust its color scheme to match the terrain. Currently his armor was clad in the urban warfare camouflage pattern used on so many of Ransei's APCs and MBTs. The Tanker Assault frames also came with a unique feature: the ability to shift into a miniature tank for added mobility should the need arise. The tank tracks were situated on his back, and the turret for the gun was located on his right side while the front of the vehicle was placed on his forearms.

The GUNDAM charged back into the fray, swinging the blue blade in an arc, cutting a Toxicroak in half and landing on the ground as the two halves landed on either side of him a second time. His radar flashed and he whirled, blasting a Toxicroak with his rifle before he placed it back on his lower back and punched one in the face, sending it rolling before slamming into a collapsing house. The porch fell with a loud groaning and crushed the Pokémon beneath all the rubble.

"Dammit!" he muttered. "We just had to get sent to this hellhole!"

"Hey! Be glad it's not like Oblivia!" a female GUNDAM shot back as she backed up so they were side by side. She held her rifle in one hand and held a shield in the other; thick steam came from the surface and Leccese felt a jolt within his chest at the sight. Poison Sting was deadly, he knew, enough to corrode even the toughest of Ransian materials. But thankfully it was not as corrosive as Muk or Grimer sludge. The femme, Corporal Gisella Santoro, glanced at her commanding officer out of the corner of her eye. "Unless you'd prefer dealing with a nuked out wasteland!"

Leccese shuddered at the mere thought of the region and the aftermath of a short nuclear exchange with them. Three islands had been wiped out, and Ransei only lost one port, thankfully on one of the furthest islands and not the mainland. In the wake of the exchange, the dictator had been killed and the whole region was now one mess of chaos and anarchy. No real order could be established, and their attempts so far were proving to be futile, as no one really cared anymore for that. "Don't remind me!" he muttered.

The femme chuckled a bit at his reaction, only to yelp as she ducked a blast of mud fired her way from a Toxicroak. So far the group was doing well, but the mechs and femmes needed to fall back lest they run out of ammo for their rifles. The staff sergeant checked his ammo count on his HUD and he swore to himself as he shot a glance at his second in command. "Hey, Jackson! Get your rear in gear and get Olsen! We're falling back!"

Corporal Jackson Mac Alastair jerked his head back to his commander. "Sir!? You serious?!" he cried.

"I'm serious, Corporal! We're falling back! We need to conserve our ammo for future use!" Leccese shot back. "Now get your ass moving!"

The larger, nine foot mech grumbled as he holstered his rifle and stowed his beam saber. He cupped both hands on either side of his faceplate. "Hey, Brit! CO says we're falling back!"

Sergeant Brittany "Brit" Olsen looked back over her shoulder. "WHAT!? But we just got here!" she cried.

"Unless you wanna become Toxicroak chow, then get moving!" the large mech yelled.

The femme growled, but did as she was told. She turned and ran for it, the other three right behind her as the Toxicroak followed behind them. The four GUNDAMs ran down the main street, evading burning trucks, overturned cars, destroyed tanks, and even devastated houses that collapsed in their path or toppled telephone lines. A few trees lay on the road, and they skirted around them as the Pokémon kept chasing them.

The chase lasted for a full hour before they arrived at the port's remains, ducking behind a corroding shipping crate. The Toxicroak horde continued on past them, leaving them alone and out of danger for now. The staff sergeant sighed in relief as he slumped back against the crate. "That was too close for comfort..." he muttered. "Had we stuck around... we might've run out of ammo."

"Either that or worse," Santoro grumbled as she examined her corroded shield. She tossed the hunk of metal aside into the water. "The thing's no use now that it's been weakened."

Leccese nodded as he got to his feet and cast his gaze around. "Well, the good news is that we're safe for now."

"Bad news?" Olsen asked as she checked her ammo count.

"We're off of our intended route," he said. He brought up the map on his HUD and frowned to himself in his thoughts. "Way off." The mech sighed. "We'll have to find another way to our destination."

"Fuckitall!" Santoro swore as she punched the ground. "And I thought we were on course!"

"So did I. But those Toxicroak really forced us off our intended route," the mech said as he looked at the corroding warehouses and shipping containers. "We need to double back towards the main road and then we'll head back on course."

"Sure hope we stay on course," Olsen remarked as the group got to their feet and ran back towards the streets.

They wandered through the ruins of the city, trying to find their way back to the main road. Of course, even with their GPS systems, it was hard as the satellites were moved around to try and keep them from being spotted, even with their cloaking plating. So they had to rely more on landmarks, but it was not as easy as it seemed, since most of them had not been to the city in years, and many familiar landmarks lay in ruins. It was only by pure chance that they discovered the remains of the Altru Building not too far from the remains of Altru Park. The place was pretty much a destroyed shell, and the park itself was ruined by the Toxicroak's Poison Sting, the grandstand basically a corroded metal shell of what it once was.

Staraptor had taken over the ruins of the building and tower on its roof, turning them into huge nesting habitats. The doors had long ago collapsed and were basically giant piles of rubble and debris. They had no choice but to fall back into the ruins of the city, becoming even more lost before they came to a halt at an intersection. But there things changed.

And not for the better.

Their location was about to be assaulted.

* * *

 _...Intruders..._

 _...Wipe out..._

 _...Intruders..._

 _...Defend territory..._

 _...Ours..._

 _...Annihilate..._

* * *

 **Almian Airspace**

 **14 July, 0008 YDR**

 **0700 hours**

The large cargo plane banked around, its cargo prepared for the drop. The pilots shot a glance at one another, checking over the systems and examining all possible abortion measures. The aircraft's grey fuselage blended with the thick smoke still coiling skyward from the city remains below, the only thing standing out being the white and blue windrose of LaRousse. The pilots had been ordered to this area for one reason and one reason only: to drop off their cargo and passengers alike. They had no idea why the Chiefs of Staff had insisted on it, but they knew better than to question their orders. They figured it was best in the long term, although they did wonder what the hell the cargo was.

 _ **When you were standing in the wake of devastation**_  
 _ **あなたは荒廃のをきっかけに立っていたとき**_

The first pilot shot a glance at the controls, examining them in detail. "Okay, Justin. We're set."

"Better hope the guys in back don't have any issues," Justin Timbers remarked as he looked at the back door leading into the cargo hold. "Those things are immensely heavy..."

"Not as heavy as some of the other stuff we've transported. Remember that huge engine we had to haul back to base?" his companion asked.

"Hell yeah. I'm surprised we were able to take off with that thing in the hold!" Justin laughed.

"Well, at least we've got a sort of respite from that tonnage."

"Yeah. For now." Justin looked at the hold as the comm beeped and he pressed his hand to his headset. "Guys all set? I'm about to open the hatch!"

 _ **When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown**_  
 _ **あなたは、未知の端に待っていたとき**_

He nodded as he heard the reply and flicked a switch. Both men felt the plane shudder as the rear access hatch slid open. He slowed down the speed to allow for their passengers and cargo to exit. He checked an exterior camera, and as four shapes tumbled out of sight, he closed the hatch and gunned it. The Driftblim cargo plane banked around and accelerated to its top speed before releasing flares and smokescreen to evade detection and keep any possible enemies off their asses.

 _'Be careful..._ ' he thought to himself as he watched their cargo plummet.

The shapes that fell through the air were not the average soldiers for the LaRoussians. These guys all were clad in their latest armored suit: the Aggron MKIII power armor. The suit itself was heavy in weight at 3-5 tons, and it was immense in height, towering over most of Ransei's GUNDAM Soldiers, with those at ten feet in height matching the power armor. The suits were well armed, and the operators were currently inside them, riding them as they fell through the air towards the ground below. On the backs of the suits, a jetpack sprang into action, deploying the four stabilizing fins and the thrusters igniting, bluish green flames shooting out the nozzles and granting them flight.

 _ **And with the cataclysm raining down**_  
 _ **そして、大変動で雨が降り**_

The first of the drivers, Sergeant Major Bernie Wakefield, opened up the comm line to his other teammates. " _Aggron Fire Team, sound off_!"

" _Aggron Two_!"

" _Aggron Three_!"

" _Aggron Four_!"

He nodded as he checked them off mentally. Aggron Two, otherwise known as Corporal Thomas Lee, was the second in command of the unit while Aggron Three, or Sergeant Jackson Linwood, was his best sniper. Or as good as one could be when using the semi-automatic 105 mm cannon. The choice of the gun was not what he would recommend, but it was good for taking out tanks and other armored vehicles. His last member Aggron Four, or Master Sergeant Ezekiel Barnet, was his best hand-to-hand fighter, especially with that beam saber of his. To be honest, all of them were well trained in the use of their suits, but sometimes someone had just a bit more of an edge than others in some uses of the armor.

 _ **Insides crying, "Save me now!"**_  
 _ **、泣いて内部「今の私を救え！」**_

" _Any sign of the Ransians_?" he asked.

" _Negative, sir_ ," Barnet remarked as he scanned the area with his visor's HUD. The map of the area was outdated, but it did serve its purpose in giving them a general idea of their location. " _Can't get a lock on those trackers of theirs. Must be blocked by all this debris_."

" _I doubt that, soldier_ ," Wakefield said as he narrowed his eyes. " _Those trackers normally emit enough power to be picked up despite debris. The trackers must be being jammed_."

" _Think we can track their cores instead, sir?_ " Lee asked.

 _ **You were there, impossibly alone**_  
 _ **あなたは信じられない一人でした**_ 、

" _May as well, since their cores give off more energy than tracker chips do._ " Wakefield nodded. " _Good call. Switch to thermal readings and scan for any hot spots that resemble a GUNDAM frame. The telltale energy core will give off faint bluish lines, so keep your eyes peeled for that._ "

" _Yes, sir_!" the three said as one.

He reached up and pressed a button on the side of his suit's helmet, switching his visor's readouts to thermal vision mode. The entire area changed to a dark blue shaded layout, with darker shades overlapping, indicating streets and buildings. He could pick out the shapes of Pokémon and humans roaming the streets, mostly bandits and scavengers. The sight made him shudder before he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He looked over at the shapes and his heartrate soared.

Huddled amongst the buildings were four humanoid shapes, but not human.

They had found the GUNDAMs.

 _ **Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?**_  
 _ **あなたは寒さと絶望で失われたと感じていますか？**_

" _All right! We got 'em_!" Linwood crowed. He tucked his arms close to his sides and dove down, his jetpack roaring in his commander's hearing briefly. Lee shook his head.

" _Well, better not leave him alone down there_ ," he said.

The other two nodded and they began their descent as well.

* * *

Down on the ground, the GUNDAMs lay huddled behind debris and rubble from the recent attacks on Pueltown's ruins, their eyes hard and their frames tense for battle. He could sense the positions of several Pokémon, but something seemed off about them. He didn't know what it was, but something niggled at his processor, telling him to be prepared. He shot a glance down at the walkie-talkie magnetized to his hip armor, and he pondered briefly why they even had him carry it if he had a comm unit built in.

 _ **You build up hope, but failure's all you've known**_  
 _ **あなたが希望を構築するが、障害者のあなたが知っていたすべての**_

His thoughts were interrupted as a sudden whistling erupted from within the shadows closest to them and the GUNDAMs scattered at a word from their commander. They leapt to all four sides, landing each a distance away from the shards of poison that encompassed the spot where they had been mere seconds ago. Leccese's eyes were smaller than normal as he stared at the shape emerging from the darkness.

It was a Combee, and it was a massive one. Its eyes flicked over the area, and behind it came a swarm of not just Weedle, but also Beedrill, and they were eager for new living space. The mechs and femmes gaped in shock as they started spreading out, going for the other Pokémon, as well as starting to make new wax for their hives within the residences that once existed here. Leccese's optics flicked over to where he heard his heavy-hitter swearing very loudly - and vulgarly.

"And I thought we had enough of those things!" Mac Alastair spat as he squared his shoulders and held up his shield. His hand flew for his beam saber and drew it out, igniting the blue blade as he did so. "Why can't we get a break from these guys?!"

 _ **Remember all the sadness and frustration**_  
 _ **すべての悲しみや不満を覚えておいてください**_

"I dunno, but you know the deal in handling them!" Leccese said as he crouched down in preparation for attack.

"You got it, sir!" the larger mech said.

"Only question now is, how do we get started?" Olsen asked.

"We get started the old fashioned way!" the staff sergeant said.

 _ **And let it go. Let it go**_  
 _ **そして、それを手放します。手放す**_

Mac Alastair too the chance and lunged for the closest Bug-type Pokémon and swung his beam saber, but the creature brought up its left stinger, blocking the blade before firing off a blast of Poison Sting and forcing him to block with his shield. Olsen seized the opportunity this provided and ran for the nearest overturned car. She waved to Mac Alastair and the mech spotted her out of the corner of his eye. He nodded once and broke off his attack, leaping back and gesturing for the Beedrill to come at him.

The creature took the bait and lunged for him.

The huge mech dodged to the side, lashing out in a side kick to send it sprawling before following up with a slash to the chest of the creature. The enraged Bug-type flew back and landed on the ground again, but it, much to his dismay and frustration, got to its feet and spread itswings in an intimidating fashion. The corporal growled and stood his ground, holding his weapon and shield at the ready. The Bug-type then buzzed to the side as the Combee behind it, its fangs glowing as it bit into his shield as a few others unleashed a hurricane-like Gust, and he had to actually brace himself against the blasting winds. His feet left gouge marks in the pavement, and he slammed his beam saber into the ground to try and anchor himself against it. "Shit!" he muttered.

 _ **And in a burst of light that blinded every angel**_  
 _ **そして、すべての天使を盲目に光のバーストで**_

"We got your back!" Santoro said as she braced against him, using her strength to try and keep him in place.

Leccese meanwhile ran over to where Olsen was hiding and noticed she had punctured a hole in the gas tank with a chunk of metal, allowing the fluid to dribble out. She pulled a small container from her hip armor and held it underneath, collecting some of the liquid and then, once it was filled about a third of the way, stuffed a rag down the neck and into the gasoline. He instantly caught onto what she was making. "A Molotov cocktail!" he muttered. "Brilliant!"

"Yes, but not if we don't act fast! Even with his frame, Mac Alastair can't hold those winds back for long!" Olsen remarked as she stood up. Leccese got up beside her and the two ran for the fight. "Bad news is we gotta take out those Combee before we can throw this!"

 _ **As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars**_  
 _ **空は星に天を吹きていたかのように**_

"Got it covered!" Leccese said as he pulled his own beam saber out. He ignited the blade and charged at the hording Bug-type Pokémon, leaping into the air and bringing the blade down in a blue arc of energy. They didn't even see that coming.

The sliced lead Combee went sailing end over end and landed on the ground, becoming nothing more than a mere fragment of the death and destruction all around them. The mech landed on the other side as the Beedrill whirled and jabbed with one of its stingers. Leccese leapt back and lashed out in a punch, sending the Pokémon flying back before Olsen ignited the rag in the Molotov cocktail and lobbed it at the Combee horde. The gasoline within splattered on them and the creatures writhed as the fluid began to burn at their skin.

Leccese let out a sigh, only to feel his vents hitch as he was forced to leap to the side, a large explosion rocking the spot where he had been mere seconds ago. The force of the blast sent all four GUNDAM Soldiers sprawling onto their backs and chests, groaning as the blast wave had messed up their stabilizing systems. The staff sergeant muttered a few choice swears as he pushed himself into a sitting position, rubbing his helm with one hand and somehow managing to keep a grip on his beam saber with the other. "Dammit! What caused that?!" he muttered.

 _ **You felt the gravity of tempered grace**_  
 _ **あなたは焼戻し恵みの重力を感じました**_

The mech turned and he was surprised to see the large shape of a Forretress moving into view, and the remains of another one lay mere feet from where he had been. 'Must've snuck past my radar during the fight!' Leccese thought to himself with a growl.

"Got more incoming enemies!" Santoro yelled. Leccese's head shot over in her direction and followed her finger pointing skyward. His eyes narrowed as his radar blipped like crazy, picking up unknown ID signatures. He tensed as these shapes fell closer, and they started to become visible as they neared the ground. His sensors picked up the telltale signs of exhaust coming from the backs of the shapes, and a quick scan proved that they were some kind of suit, powered by a small Mako reactor. The suits of armor(?) landed close by to them, and the GUNDAMs all tensed for possible confrontation. But the closest suit knelt down and the visor and faceplate slid off, revealing the operator's face. "You guys need a hand?"

 _ **Falling into empty space**_  
 _ **空きスペースに落ちます**_

"About time!" Leccese remarked as he grasped the man's hand and was hauled to his feet. "We were wondering if we were gonna be the only ones to fight here!"

"As if," the man said, replacing the helmet's faceplate and visor over his face. "We got Bugs?" His voice was somewhat muffled by the thick armor.

"Yeah. A few of them came from the Vien Forest a ways south!" Mac Alastair snapped as he hefted his beam saber and shield. "Took one out using a Molotov cocktail, but now we got more incoming! And I doubt that trick will work the second time around!"

"I remember hearing about that," the man said as he grabbed his suit's beam saber and ignited the green blade. "Sergeant Major Bernie Wakefield."

 _ **No one there to catch you in their arms**_  
 _ **自分の腕の中であなたをキャッチするためにそこに誰もいません**_

"Staff Sergeant Dionisio Leccese," the mech remarked. "But intros later. Right now we gotta drive these things back!"

"Why not just take out the hive in the forest?" one of the other Aggron drivers asked. "That's the best option we got."

"Do we _have_ any napalm?!" Leccese shot back, his eyes hardening. "Hell no!" His frame bristled at the mere thought. "We lack any of that!"

Wakefield raised an eyebrow. "You're out of napalm?"

"Uh, yeah!" Olsen shot back as she looked at the sergeant major. "You _expected_ us to carry half that shit around?!"

"Enough!" Mac Alastair roared, slamming his fist against his shield. The sound caught the attention of the squabbling group. "We have enough issues to worry about, and as of right now, we have to do whatever it takes to keep the Horde Mode here back at bay!"

"Horde Mode?" Wakefiled asked.

"A Bug-type horde. They just keep coming and don't stop. It's like in a video game where you die once you get overwhelmed or run out of time," Mac Alastair explained as he turned back to face the incoming Horde.

 _ **Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?**_  
 _ **あなたは寒さと絶望で失われたと感じていますか？**_

"But how are we supposed to do that, and take out the hive here?" another of the LaRoussian soldiers asked.

"We call in some backup." That was all Mac Alastair said as his eyes locked onto the horizon.

* * *

 **Shiver Camp Airfield**

 **14 July, 0008 YDR**

 **0800 hours**

The harsh wind blew around the airfield, driving icy sleet into the makeshift buildings rigged by the survivors of the camp. Ever since the Undampening eight years ago, the Shiver Camp, once a small research center, isolated by the cold, had grown into a full-fledged community consisting of thirty people, some of them children. The small little community lived by hunting, going after those Pokémon that they deemed suitable for food and clothing. A small greenhouse sprang up in the year after the initial attacks, allowing them to grow food in this cold climate, powered by what little they could salvage. Most of their food consisted of meat, but some veggies and fruits did provide enough nutrition to keep them going through the long, cold winter months.

 _ **You build up hope, but failure's all you've known**_  
 _ **あなたが希望を構築するが、障害者のあなたが知っていたすべての**_

And its isolation made it a perfect airfield for the incoming planes. Not many thought such a purpose could be feasible in such cold weather. But they made it work. The first airplane to land at the airfield less than seven months ago was one of the latest in Ransian aircraft, and perhaps the most rugged plane anyone could have created: the A-12 "Fire Blast" close air support ground attack aircraft. While it wasn't as sleek or as graceful as "true fighter jets" piloted by other fighter jockeys, (it was actually as ugly as hell), it more than made up for it with sheer ruggedness, and of course, its big fuckin' gun, the GBU-7/A Revenger 30mm Gatling gun, nicknamed "the Beast."

"You guys getting ready up there?" someone called down from the top of a nearby truck.

 _ **Remember all the sadness and frustration**_  
 _ **すべての悲しみや不満を覚えておいてください**_

"You'd think this was easy, but no! We got a snowstorm moving in, and the guys down in Pueltown need backup ASAP! So of course we're getting ready, jackass!" the pilot of the plane yelled as he hopped into the cockpit. Behind him, his co-pilot and WSO did the same thing. Both airmen proceeded to buckle in as the canopy slid shut around them, sealing them into the durable airframe.

"Clear to taxi!" Lt. Colonel Franklin Yaeger said.

"Hold on, Frank! Not yet! They need to check the runway first!" 2nd Lt. Debra Wallace reminded him. "Unless you'd rather be blown off course?"

Frank grumped as he huffed. The weatherman for the airfield was relaying the weather and the snowstorm was apparently moving in faster than before. He hoped the runway would be clear enough for him to take off. Then again, given this God-forsaken place, it wasn't actually easy, let alone suitable, to take off on the runway during a snowstorm.

 _ **And let it go. Let it go**_  
 _ **そして、それを手放します。手放す**_

The report came back over the comm and he let out a small whoop as he turned to look back at his WSO. "You hear that? Clear on runway two seven!" he remarked with a grin.

Wallace groaned, but she nodded. "Okay. Just be careful! Last thing we need is this thing flipping upside down!"

The pilot smirked as he spooled up the engines for takeoff. The frosty temperatures didn't help matters much, but the crystal shards within the turbine blades did provide the heat needed to allow them to start up. The familiar whine of the engines resonated in his hearing and he smiled as he felt the sheer power of the engines race through the plane's airframe. He gripped the control stick and began to move the plane into action.

 _ **Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?**_  
 _ **あなたは寒さと絶望で失われたと感じていますか？**_

He gunned the engines and the plane began to taxi through the rather crude taxiways cut into the snow. The gleaming lines on the jet's engines began to pulse as the craft moved down towards the runway. The control tower, made out of a shipping container and lattice framework, gave the signal as the snow started to subside. With a jerk on the throttle, the A-12 leapt forward, climbing into the air not even fifteen seconds later.

The plane banked to the right and flew in the direction of Pueltown's ruins.

 _ **You build up hope, but failure's all you've known**_  
 _ **あなたが希望を構築するが、障害者のあなたが知っていたすべての**_

The trip wasn't that long, as they were only traveling at about five hundred and sixty kilometers per hour, but it did seem long due to the sheer enormity of their mission. Never before had a CAS aircraft been used in an anti-Pokémon role before. And nor had they fought against a Bug-type hive before in such an aircraft. Plus, with the sudden aggression they were displaying, it made sense to send the Fire Blast out. With its armor and BFG, it was the perfect weapon to deter any Horde Mode.

There was also the option of nuclear radiation, as that chemically affected the body's vital systems. Yet it was unknown how such radiation would kill or affect Bug-types.

So they were taking no chances with the nukes. Those were not a part of the arsenal against Ho-oh's Pokémon forces.

 _ **Remember all the sadness and frustration**_  
 _ **すべての悲しみや不満を覚えておいてください**_

Yaeger looked down as the city ruins came into view. He could barely pick out the group fighting below, but he did see a bunch of Bug-types as they came swarming out of Vien Forest. "Got 'em!" he remarked. "They're swarming out of the forest!"

"Shit! How many we got?" Wallace asked, her eyes hard.

"I dunno. I was hoping you'd know!" Yaeger shot back.

Wallace muttered a few choice words under her breath, but did a quick count before she lost track. "I give up! There's just too many!"

"How far did you get before you lost count?" Yaeger asked her.

The WSO checked her mental math before she shrugged. "Over fifty last I counted."

 _ **And let it go. Let it go**_  
 _ **そして、それを手放します。手放す**_

The pilot grumbled, but said nothing as he banked the plane around and circled in for a better view of things. His crystal suddenly flared in the slot, and he shot a glance down at it. His eyes widened as he detected a faint wave of fear, despair, and defeat creeping into his mind. He closed his eyes and homed in on it using his crystal, and his eyes snapped open before he put the plane into a dive, its engines roaring like some ancient Dragon-type awakening from its slumber. The comm squawked at that moment and a voice came over it. " _This is Staff Sergeant Dionisio Leccese_!"

"Hold on! The cavalry is on its way!" he called into the comm.

* * *

Down below on the ground, the fighting was getting rather intense. As it stood, the four GUNDAMs had a much better chance of survival due to their mechanical nature, but the humans in their powered armor were at least holding on. Much longer than necessary, Leccese mused as he ducked under a Mud Shot attack from a Kricketune. The GUNDAM looked out from behind the overturned truck they were using as cover, resting his rifle on it and pulling the trigger. The bullets sped out and struck the ground closest to the nearest Bug-type, but the beast didn't back off. Growling in his vocalizer, Leccese shifted his position so he was targeting the SUV near the creature as it moved in, firing off a Mud Shot intent on blinding him. His eyes were hard as he finally ejected the empty mag and slammed a new one home.

 _ **Let it go**_  
 _ **手放す**_

Off to his side, Wakefield was adjusting his position, the 20mm Gatling gun on his right forearm swinging up and locking into position, its deployable grip sliding into his right hand. The suit's massive fingers closed around it and the barrels whirred, sending a barrage of bullets at the SUV and Bug-type, the HE and AP incendiary ammo causing the gas tank to explode, wiping out the Kricketune as it passed by in a fiery ball. The sergeant major released the trigger and looked back at the mech beside him. "Were you aiming for that?" he asked.

 _ **Let it go**_  
 _ **手放す**_

Leccese just snorted and nodded once before he gripped the small grenade on the side of his armor and prepared to pull the pin, spying a sewage line leaking close to their position; his sensors indicated that large traces of methane were coming out of the crack. He raised his hand to his comm, but his eyes flicked down to the walkie-talkie and he hesitated. He finally removed his hand from his helm and grabbed the device, pulling it free from his hip armor and pressed on the talk button. The device crackled with static, and then he heard voices. "This is Staff Sergeant Dionisio Leccese!"

 ** _Let it go_**  
 ** _手放す_**

The GUNDAM crouched there and listened as the walkie-talkie crackled with static before a voice came over the speakers. " _Hold on! The cavalry is on its way_!" Leccese's eyes shrunk a bit as he heard something that sounded like a roaring engine, but he couldn't be sure due to the static and the voice before it cut out and he stared at the walkie-talkie in his hand. The next thing he knew, a blast of mud nailed it and sent it flying out of his hand, landing on the ground with sparks flying from it. "Dammit!" he swore.

 _ **Let it go**_  
 _ **手放す**_

He whipped his body around and grasped the grenade in one hand while pulling the pin and hurling it in the direction of the Kricketune and the sewage line. "Fire in the hole!" he yelled.

The four LaRoussian soldiers reacted by bracing themselves and within moments the shimmering spheres of their EAPS shields came into existence as the GUNDAM Soldiers took cover behind the tanker truck, ducking down to avoid being blasted back by the explosion. Within seconds a large explosion tore open the area, the mechs and femmes and men taking the brunt of the blast wave and fireball. Leccese's core was pulsing double time in his armored chest, and he instinctively clasped his hands over his audio sensors. He closed his eyes and made sure to huddle into a ball, protecting his core from the pressure wave.

While all GUNDAM Soldiers possessed thick layers of armor plating on their chests to protect their cores, it wasn't uncommon for core chambers to be ruptured by some freak accident or enough strikes to the chest. So all GUNDAM Soldiers were taught how to huddle into balls, exposing their backs to further protect it for a few seconds more, seconds which could mean life or death for them. And that was what Leccese, Santoro, Olsen, and Mac Alastair did. The blast wave faded, but the fires were starting to spread and another rupture in the sewage line exploded, generating another blast wave that killed a bunch of Beedrill and Weedle by incineration. The blast waves rattled the LaRoussian armor drivers, but their Mako-powered EAPS shields held. At least until they shut down.

 _ **Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?**_  
 _ **あなたは寒さと絶望で失われたと感じていますか？**_

By that time, most of the Bug-type Horde had been blasted to ashes or had to flee to save themselves from the fireballs.

And wandered right into a trap.

The next thing the group knew, a shriek of engines resonated overhead and they were forced to dive to the sides as a loud sound cut through the air. A barrage of bullets came streaking down, like fire from the mouth of a Dragonair or Dragonite, striking the ground and stitching a path towards a large oil tanker truck. The vehicle exploded and a bunch of Bug-types Pokémon got hit with the burning fluid. Some of the oil flew overhead, forcing the mechs, femmes, and men to duck as it splattered on the ground behind them.

"What the hell was that?!" Wakefield asked as he shot a glance at Leccese.

 _ **You build up hope, but failure's all you've known**_  
 _ **あなたが希望を構築するが、障害者のあなたが知っていたすべての**_

The GUNDAM was also confused as he glanced around, his eyes finally landing on the shape diving down low and fast, its distinctive twin-ruddered airframe gleaming in the morning light. He held his breath as the plane banked around, the light from the rising sun glistening off its fuselage and wings. The pulsing blue lines, the thick, broad and powerful wings, the twin rudders shining and the cockpit flashing brightly... and that weapon of destruction, the GBU-7/A Revenger Gatling gun whirring and letting out its devastating call.

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRT!_

The gun roared a second time, this time striking the ground closest to the next cluster of Combee and blowing up a large double-decker bus. The shells also shredded some of the Pokémon's body, leaving some pieces intact. Those would be no doubt consumed by the next Combee or Beedrill, Leccese mused grimly as he watched the plane bank back around. His internal comm squawked and he got on. "Go," he said.

 _ **Remember all the sadness and frustration**_  
 _ **すべての悲しみや不満を覚えておいてください**_

" _Staff Sergeant Leccese, this is Lt. Colonel Franklin Yaeger. Looks like we got here just in time to save your asses_."

" _Hardly! We got more incoming forces, and they are not too happy!_ " Leccese remarked.

The last thing they expected was to hear the familiar bark of heavy artillery, and they all ducked down as shells came raining down from a few positions further back. "Dammit! Got gangsters too?!" Olsen yelled over the roar of the guns.

"At least those Bug freaks fled!" one of the power armor drivers remarked as he aimed his armor's left shoulder-mounted semi-automatic 105mm cannon. The cannon roared, sending a blast right for an artillery truck as it came careening around a corner, blowing it to bits as the HEAT round slammed into the gas tank. He adjusted his aim and turned the gun so it was facing the side street the artillery truck had come down. "Now we just gotta deal with these gangsters!"

"Sergeant Linwood is right!" Wakefield said. "And as much as I hate to admit it, I'd prefer gangsters over something undead like those creeps!"

 _ **And let it go. Let it go**_  
 _ **そして、それを手放します。手放す**_

"Well, at least-" Leccese's voice was cut off as a large explosion rocked the area as the Fire Blast rocketed overhead. He winced on instinct as the blast wave shook the area. The plane circled back, two of the rockets missing from its wings. He looked up and waved a hand as if to say thanks.

Linwood armed his gun once more, and fired again as a pickup came around the corner, its bed loaded with gangsters and thugs armed with rocket propelled grenades. The sergeant's HE round struck the truck's front, sending it flipping end over end before it landed on the ground, crushing two or three thugs while the rest bailed out.

Olsen took the chance and aimed her own rifle, gunning down several of the men with a well-placed burst of gunfire. The GUNDAM femme turned her gaze back to the sleek grey plane as it blasted past, its gun roaring once more.

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRRT! BRRRRRRRRRRT! BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!_

Three times it screamed out, and the three bursts struck a few buildings, some of the gangsters having taken shelter there. The windows shattered and the DU rounds struck the gangsters, killing a good portion and setting off one of their portable SAMs, causing an even bigger explosion. The LaRoussians gaped in shock at the plane as it finally cried out as it dove down, a salvo of rockets coming from the wings as they struck something further back. They couldn't see what it was, but it did cause them to cover themselves.

The engines roared as it flew past, the whine sounding like an enraged Dragon-type.

"Oh, hell yes!" Leccese shouted, punching the air with his fist, excitement in his eyes.

Wakefield shook his head. "Not yet!" he remarked. He gestured with one massive hand towards the burning buildings. "Take a closer look!" The GUNDAM blinked, but looked back at the buildings, only for his eyes to widen as his sensors detected human figures emerging from the rubble. The gangsters came out in droves, numbering twenty at the minimum, and twenty six at the max. The group all tensed as they came in close. To Leccese, it was just too much; first a Horde Mode of Bugs, then gangsters? What was next? Zombies?

Thankfully nothing like that was present, but it did trigger something in his processor: a fear that maybe Uxie could craft something of that nature. It wasn't beyond him, but at the same time it didn't make sense because he would need resources and land for his... experiments...

The sound of machine gun fire cut through the air and Leccese swore as he retreated behind his hiding spot while Wakefield swung the large 40mm grenade launcher forward on his left arm. The gun roared and a single canister grenade launched from it, striking a nearby cluster of gangsters and a few stray Pokémon that came out from the rubble; mostly Rattata and Raticate. The two mouse-like Pokémon hordes started to devour the dead, which was a mercy to them because then that damn new parasite or whatever would not be able to get to their remains; Leccese was cut out of his musings as he jerked his head back to the battle at hand. "We gotta get outta here!" Mac Alastair yelled as he finished using up his rifle's mags.

"Not without completing the objective!" Leccese shot back.

"No way! We're screwed and-" His voice was cut off as the A-12 Fire Blast rocketed in, its gun chattering and roaring at the same time as the DU rounds hit the ground and shredded the gangsters closest to them. But more were holed up in the buildings above, and they could see it now in the burning flames around them.

The city sector they were in now resembled a wasteland, with debris and rubble strewn everywhere, and few buildings remaining standing. But it didn't matter now. All that mattered was finding the files they were searching for, and bugging out. The buildings that still stood now acted as lookout points and sniper spots for gangsters, and they knew they were fucked unless a miracle. Even with the A-12, it would be a futile stand...

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRRT!_

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRRT!_

 _BRRRRRRRRRRRRT!_

The last thing they expected was to hear three more guns roaring with that distinct cry, the rounds becoming a literal hailstorm of bullets as three more A-12s came rocketing out of the smoke and encroaching cloud cover. "Who called them down!?" Olsen blurted as she peeked out from behind a collapsed storefront.

"I have no idea, but I'm sure glad we got the cavalry!" Leccese remarked. "C'mon! We got a mission to complete!"

The group nodded as one before they got to their feet. The four GUNDAMs drew their beam sabers and held them at the ready while the LaRoussian soldiers activated their beam sabers as well, both sets glowing in the light from the fires and the thickening smoke. One set pulsated with a green blade and the other set glowed bright bluish-white, each reflecting the nation their wielders were from.

This time, they would succeed. And they knew it.


	20. hOSTech Software V-17934 and hOSTrans

**File # 019**

 **hOSTech Software V-1.79.34 and hOSTrans**

 **Type:** human neurological digitization software and program; human transference device

 **Weight:** 34 kg

 **Height:** .5 m

 **Width:** .5 m

 **Powerplant:** aurite fusion core

 **Processor power:** classified

 **Function:** to digitize human minds to be installed on blank computer chips within GUNDAM frames

* * *

 **NOTES**

With the advent of the GUNDAM Soldiers Program, the need to develop a more efficient method for transferring a human's consciousness from their dying or mortally wounded human body was needed, as most candidates for the Project in its initial stages died long before they could be fully transferred, leading to multiple failed prototypes and in some cases, units with a childlike mentality. These unfortunate individuals had to be terminated, but their sacrifices and subsequent transferences helped pave the way for the newest and most advanced program and device for transference to date: the hOSTech Software V-1.79.34 and hOSTrans.

Prior methods relied primarily on psychic Pokémon such as Abra, Kadabra, and Alakazam for transferring a human's mind directly into the GUNDAM's computer. But since the mind was not actually digitized, it was either partially integrated or often not at all. Those that did succeed usually suffer from glitches from time to time, mostly minor things like stuttering or a small tic. Only two proved to have severe glitches - memory problems and moments where amnesia kicked in - and were therefore terminated as they were seen as a security risk. Less than a year after that, three of Ransei's brightest engineers and a psychic warrior managed to craft a device that was able to transfer a human's mind into a GUNDAM frame completely intact, albeit with help from a Psychic-type to prevent loss of memories.

The programming was a real pain to work out.

Dealing with human memories and emotions, along with the very _essence_ of the human being transferred, is a very tricky, and in some cases, taboo subject, and to even fathom transferring them into what some consider to be an unfeeling machine has led to controversy by the public and the Order of Ragnarok remnants that harass the populace. The very fact that it is able to transfer a human's very... core being... into a GUNDAM frame is what separates the GUNDAMs from other machines being developed by subsequent nations like LaRousse's Autonomous Combat Robots, or ACRs. While they do have an AI that can learn and adapt, the machines have no feeling, no emotion, and only operate on cold efficiency.

The GUNDAMs are unique in that they retain their very humanity, their very core drive, within the mechanical frames. Therefore they are able to react with much greater feeling, and are able to focus on a mission objective with greater clarity. They are also able to understand the horrors of which they fight, and that is what drives them on, to prevent such things from happening again. But it also means that GUNDAMs have to be monitored for if they decide to go rogue. To offset such a chance, though, a directive is initially implanted, with plenty of wiggle room for interpretation. This has been dubbed 'ethical programming' by some, and it has led to a huge controversy over it as well. Yet despite the outcry, the 'ethical programming' allows for GUNDAMs to make the right choices, and to abide by their human nature.

To transfer a human's mind, the wounded or dying human is hooked up to the hOSTrans via analysis sensors designed to monitor brainwave activity. The hOSTrans is then activated, and the mind is scanned with the help of a Psychic Warrior or Pokémon. The mind is then scanned into the device, taking each memory, emotion, and even the person's very _essence_ , and sending it through the device as data where it is collected and then transmitted directly to the blank computer within the GUNDAM frame. The data is usually a very large amount, so the device has what is considered the most powerful computer of all time to process it. Although lags do occur, they are uncommon and have to be watched to make sure a backflow of data does not happen. If such a delay does happen, it usually means that the person is resisting, which can mean the process will be interrupted, and they will fade in the middle of the transfer.

The human's mind is usually then enhanced with basic firewalls to prevent any hacking or reprogramming from taking place, and the strength of those firewalls depends on the person's inner strength of will. Most times they do not need such firewalls, but on occasion such things are necessary, even though the crystal core can prevent such hacking or reprogramming from taking place...most of the time.

Regardless, the hOSTech and hOSTrans have both proven to be highly effective, and so the GUNDAM Project will continue to function for as long as needed.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"I have to admit, the GUNDAM Project saved my mother's life. Without it, she'd be dead." - Rodya Pajari, 7th grader, Auroros Elementary

"Half my guys became GUNDAM through this project. I hate the fact they have to give up their human bodies, but at least they're alive. For me, that's worth it all." - Master Gunnery Sergeant Margrét Olvirsson, Company B, 14th Avia Gunnery Battalion, 17th Armored Division (Fort Twister)

"GUNDAM Soldiers... is it right or wrong to create such a thing? That is the question in this war." - Warlord Ester Jóhannsson, Nixtorm Kingdom

"The thought that goes into a program like this means that it's gotta have some sound merit. Even if it is controversial in many minds of the public. It saves lives though, which makes it a necessity in our line of work." - Corporal Seyfettin Teke, Company G, 5th Medical Brigade, 914th Medical Command

"GUNDAM or not, we are all soldiers. GUNDAM frames just give us a better chance at survival. I should know. I was one of 'em." - Master Sergeant Axel Christensen, Company D, 666th Infantry Battalion, 6th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, 18th Artillery Division (Fort Twister)

* * *

 **Location: Kanto/Johto Wastelands**

 **Date: 9 March 0008 YDR**

 **Time: 2300 hours**

Private Axel Christensen was in trouble. He gritted his teeth as he plastered himself against the wall of the old prison he was currently holed up in, his Excalibur exosuit battered all to hell. The soldier ran a hand over his broken visor and bloodied face, unable to believe he had been trapped here for fourteen hours already. And as it stood, the friction starting to form between Ransei and Kanto was setting things up for a possible Cold War in the aftermath of this damn war. He wasn't too thrilled with the way things were going in Kanto, but he brushed it aside. He remembered times in Ransei's past when different kingdoms had banded together against others, and well, some of those others had been despotic by nature. The leader, Xander or whatever his name was, was clearly someone who hated Pokémon with a passion. And technically Axel couldn't blame him. He hated Pokémon too. But not as bad as the other man. In fact, he only hated those that followed Ho-oh's mandate.

The old prison in the area he was assigned to scout out was also in an area run by bandits. Kanto's government, while taking priority of its own people, was not too willing to assist those trapped in the wastelands between the remains of Johto and Kanto. In fact, Axel felt glad that the wastelands there served as a sort of buffer zone; the fighting had torn huge rents in the earth and toppled several structures, including the famous Pokémon Indigo League Heaquarters. Aside from the ever imposing stature of the famed "Groudon's Wall", the huge barricade erected from the deepest parts of the earth using the densest rock. He shivered at the sight, remembering his first visual of it, as well as the huge chasms left behind by its formation. (The wastelands where he was located were on Johto's side of the wall.)

His eyes hardened as he pulled back and gripped his rifle, not that it would be of any use once he ran out of ammunition for it. He was already down to his last few clips, and he wasn't willing to risk ambushing these guys without an armored battalion with him. He peeped out from around the corner, and his eyes narrowed as he checked his visor's PokéDex function, scanning for any Pokémon within the radius of the old prison. He smiled in relief. _No Pokémon in sight,_ he thought. Then he became serious. _But definitely bandits. So... how to get outta here?_

The gates were long since sealed shut, and he knew it. The only reason he had been able to even get in here to begin with was due to a cluster of vines left over from the initial Undampening almost a decade ago. The vines long since died, but they still remained. The problem now was that he couldn't get out because there were no vines on the interior, and it was completely devoid of any climbing implements or stuff that could be used for such things. Even the cell doors were useless as he had no way to pry them off or weld them together. And even if he did, he was only one man.

"Shit... I hate it when I get myself into situations like this..." he muttered.

His mind drifted back to when he had gotten the briefing and was sent out to investigate some possible activity from Uxie's forces, only to get jumped by bandits and forced to hole up in this old dump of a prison. The commander of his unit, Lt. Col. Mariano Santiago, was a man who wanted to try and get the job done without many lives lost. But considering how his battalion was considered the most unlucky due to the three sixes in its name, the 666th Infantry Battalion was prone to losing a lot of lives for even a simple scouting mission. But Axel wasn't a superstitious man. He didn't believe in the bad luck component of his unit's reputation. What he _did_ believe in though was the fact that something was wrong, and he was determined to right it. So, after a brief discussion with his commanding officer, the private had been gifted the Excalibur MKII exosuit and he went out into the field alone over the last four years to scout out ahead of his unit.

While against sound military protocol, it did have its advantages in that he was able to sneak around and gather data before bugging out. Well, under some circumstances. More often than not he got roped into fights against Pokémon or human savages, which led him to acquire a very good collection of scars across his muscular body.

But this was perhaps his most foolish choice yet.

"Note to self: never accept a mission like this again!" he muttered under his breath as he checked his current ammo clip. He grunted as the number of rounds appeared on his helmet's visor. "Dammit! Just ten rounds left! And I got only twenty in each mag..."

He hefted his rifle and ran across the open courtyard, bandit fire raining down from the fortified area they had taken over. The prisoners' barracks were well fortified and well defended, so it made sense they'd hole up there. The bullets struck the ground and pinged off his battered suit's armor plating. Some left minor holes; his suit's plating was wearing down from the constant abuse. He leapt to the left, landing and rolling behind some debris, but he didn't stay long as a grenade came his way from a rampart further up ahead. Axel felt his blood rushing through his veins as he darted for the wall, taking cover in a corridor that had partially collapsed. Bullets ricocheted off the rubble, and Axel panted heavily as his heart beat double time in his chest.

 _I just gotta get outta here... I know there's been some activity, but not enough to warrant any immediate action,_ he thought as he gripped his rifle. He gritted his teeth and ran down the corridor, ducking underneath the holes and cracks in the walls. He could hear the gun rounds pinging off the rock walls, and he ignored the shards peppering his armor and face. He kept running as fast as he could, skidding around a corner and emerging into the courtyard of the prison once more, this time closer to the main area where the bandits were holed up. He was surprised at the fact they hadn't even noticed him, but his surprise was overcome by shock as he bolted for the stairs, ducking underneath them and just in time as they started firing on his location.

"Shit!" he muttered. "I _had_ to get caught here!"

He had no idea how right he was.

But thankfully, he didn't have much longer to worry; the gunfire seemed to be dying down. He wondered if the bandits were starting to run out; it seemed plausible, as they had no doubt used up the majority of it trying to fire at him or any other intruders trying to sneak inside. Still, he didn't want to take a risk, but at the same time he needed to move to try and get the jump on them. _No doubt they'll be expecting me..._ he mused. _So let's see..._ He glanced down at a small rock near his feet, and an idea formed in his mind. But to carry it out, he needed a little something special...

He closed his eyes, drawing on the Heart of Ransei's energy as it sent him the strength he needed. He held a hand out and channeled the energy into his hand, commanding the very rock to shape and mold into what he desired: a tunnel leading through the wall to the next side of the prison's courtyard. His crystal pulsed beneath his chest armor, and he felt his muscles starting to strain; this kind of manipulation of the earth always drained those who used it. Yet he managed to endure long enough to finish the tunnel.

He opened his eyes and staggered to his feet, his vision wavering before he shook his head to clear it up.

The entire tunnel wasn't very detailed, let alone ornate like some of the other earth users could do, but it was good enough for the job. He specialized more in sturdy, and very strong, tunnels. Detail was the last thing on his mind. He finally regained his strength and looked into the tunnel, his hand flying for the light mounted on the side of his helmet. He pressed the switch and it activated.

The beam shone through the darkness, and the man slipped into the entryway beneath the stairs.

* * *

Franci Pető narrowed his eyes as he scanned the horizon for the man-sized armor suit. From what he had seen of it, it looked as if the suit had been in some major fighting, resulting in a rather battered and dented appearance. Its face clearly looked like it had some visor covering and a faceplate that looked kind of edged, but not like one of those PokéRangers from that ridiculous Beforetimes kids' show. It was more like a pair of slabs of metal that connected in the middle, with angled edges near the top to deflect debris and rounds, he noted. And it had what appeared to be a V-shaped crest emblazoned on the helmet. A green pentagon stood out on the metal of the helmet and within the chest armor was a shard of some kind of glowing mineral.

But now the strange suit was gone. And had been for the last half hour He had a sinking feeling like the suit's occupant was on to them, and was trying to figure out a way to get the jump on them. He had no idea as to the tunnel running beneath his feet now. The ex-Trainer snorted as he held his rifle at the ready. His group of thugs was clearly itching to wipe out this newcomer to their turf, but because they vanished, they were all getting antsy. Trigger fingers were twitching and the last thing he wanted was for his own forces to start killing one another in their agitation.

He scanned the horizon and courtyard below, but still no sign of the intruder.

And yet, something was niggling at him. Almost as if to say that he was in danger. But, being the former Hiker he was, he ignored it and focused solely on his mission.

And that proved to be his downfall.

The last thing he expected was to see the ground literally open up beneath his forces further back and they collapsed into it with screams and yelps, just as a shape leapt up, thrusters humming angrily as its visor flashed in the light of the moon. Beneath that visor he saw a pair of eyes flashing in anger, and a machine gun swung around, its barrel barking and sending two shells right for his guards. They were hit in the foreheads, clean between the eyes.

The shape-he could now see it was that same suit from before-landed on its feet and aimed its gun right for his chest.

"Okay, bastard!" a male voice hissed out of it. "Time for you to end your reign of terror in this area!"

Franci sneered as he aimed his heavy SMG at the man in the armor. "I beg to differ," he said. "It is _you_ who shall be ended!"

As he fired, the man reacted with incredible speed, leaping to the left and landing behind some debris as the bullets peppered the pile. He watched as the armored man peeped up, and fired a single shot before ducking back down. Franci had to cackle at that. "Only one shot? You must be desperate to be attacking me with so little ammunition!"

"Hardly!" the man shot back, his eyes hardening beneath his visor. "I'm not that stupid!"

Franci couldn't help but laugh. He held up an arm. "Then I hope you're prepared to die, bastard!"

The armored man grunted as he sprang off the ground, thrusters on his back kicking into action to give him brief flight capabilities.

He whipped his body around and lashed out in a punch as he came down, his armored fist colliding with Franci's arm as he brought it up to block it. He smirked as he lowered his arm, despite the pain searing through it. He whipped a left cross around to deal a blow to the man's armored face, but he rolled to the side and sprang forward with a fist drawn back. He dealt a powerful uppercut towards Franci, but the former Trainer leaned back and grabbed the man's arm. His eyes widened beneath his visor as he was thrown over the bandit's shoulder, landing flat on his back with a grunt. He gasped as he spotted Franci's form above him, and he rolled to the side as the ex-Trainer drove an armored knee into the cobblestones.

* * *

Axel hissed as he got to his feet, clenching his fists. He didn't want to use his rifle anymore, mostly because of the fact the ammo was running low. He gritted his teeth as he felt his balance nearly give, but he forced himself to remain standing. He hadn't expected his little trick to evade the rest of the thugs to drain him so much. Then again, he noticed that the bandits were backing off, and he narrowed his eyes a bit more. Were they backing off for some reason?

The leader caught a glimpse of his confusion through his visor and he sneered. "It is a ritual you have partaken in. The last man standing commands this gang. So... do you have what it takes to defeat me?"

Axel's eyes hardened as he charged at the bandit. He leapt to the side though and spun around, grabbing Axel by his helmet and pulling his head back in a headlock. "My name is Franci Pető," he sneered. "And your name...?"

"...is Axel Christensen!" the soldier rasped. "But... you won't... get anything more... out of me!"

Without wasting a beat, he drew his head forward and jerked it back, slamming the back of his helmet into Franci's face, and he swore he felt the breaking of cartilage in his nose. He tore himself free from the thug and whipped his body around to avoid the bandit's grab once more. Axel's eyes were hard like bronze, and he didn't hesitate to whip his left hand in a devastating left hook that connected with Franci's left jawline, and he followed up with an uppercut that left the bandit reeling. He didn't hesitate to lower his head and activate his suit's jetpack before springing off the ground, head-butting the man in the sternum.

Franci staggered back, blood escaping his lips as he coughed violently. Axel was able to dodge it, but as he did, Franci sneered through blood-caked lips. He doubled over, but not before rasping out three words. "You... are... dead...!"

Axel realized at that moment he had been set up. His eyes flew wide as he suddenly felt his Excalibur exosuit's armor plating rattle and shudder under the onslaught of bullets. His body was overcome with intense pain and he swore he was detached from his own flesh and blood, feeling and not feeling at the same time. His vision was swimming as he saw himself fly backwards from the hailstorm of bullets, bits of flesh and muscle, coupled with blood, sailing away from him. His brown eyes were wide and his blonde hair was waving in the breeze as his helmet was shattered under the assault. He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't even move a muscle. He saw the first inklings of blackness on the edges of his vision, and he thought he wasn't going to make it.

He couldn't hear clearly, but he thought he heard something coming in low and fast, and in his fading vision he could see a blur before reddish splotches overcame him, making his stomach churn. He couldn't vomit though; he had not the strength. He couldn't feel much through the ground, but he thought he could sense footsteps approaching him. He was vaguely aware of something or someone kneeling and scooping him up before he finally lost all grasp on the mortal plane and he drifted away, his vision going dark as oblivion came to welcome him.

* * *

 ** _Minutes._**

 ** _Hours._**

 ** _Days._**

 ** _Weeks._**

 ** _Months._**

 ** _Years._**

 ** _These are what make up the intangible component of our universe known as time. Time has many meanings for every human and Pokémon. It can either be significant or not at all. And sometimes time can even be an enemy to others, while it is a friend to some. It has many variables, many variations, and many components, as given by the insignificant creature known as man. And yet each era in history, regardless of whether it is recorded by man or beast, has had an impact on this small world we all share. This globe known as Earth._**

 ** _The Beforetime... It is an era of history that we have come to recognize as being before the time of the Undampening. The old calendar was forgotten, and almost universally, the new calendar era became known as YDR, or Year after Dampener Removal. This new calendar designation was chosen after that fateful August day, the Day when it began. It also marks the days when humanity began to struggle, to fight, and to_ live. _The one who initiated it, Ho-oh, wished to wipe out humanity so Pokémon could live in peace. But in order to wipe us out, he needed to divide us... To make us isolated. To turn us into tribes. That would weaken us and turn us into mere savages and barbarians so we could be wiped out easily._**

 ** _Yet he underestimated us._**

 ** _Even tribes, when confronted with a catastrophe, will unite to overcome it._**

 ** _And Ransei, having been divided into seventeen kingdoms in the past, knows the need for unity._**

 ** _Knowing this, and seeing the advantages a globally connected civilization has over tribalism, we have elected to, in essence, give Ho-oh a big middle finger to his face and stick it up his ass. We refused to let this be our fate. We chose to rebuild a global communications network to reconnect the world's nations for the coming fights and to avoid the coming slaughter. Due to Uxie and Raquayza though, we have to cloak our satellites and keep them on the move, but it works. We have done the impossible, and, using our mass drivers, have reconnected some of the world's nations together. We still have a ways to go, but, as long as time is on our side, we can do it..._**

 ** _For we are..._**

 ** _Ransei..._**

* * *

 _Hours..._

 _Silence..._

 _Rushing winds..._

 _Garbled and muffled noises..._

 _Warmth and stickiness..._

* * *

 _He was drifting in the middle of a black void. He couldn't move or do a thing._

 _He didn't know who he was, let alone where he was or when he was._

 _All he knew was the Void. The Darkness that encompassed him. He briefly wondered if he even existed. And yet, if he thought that, then surely he must, right?_

 _He couldn't recall much else, other than that he was alone._

 _And for that matter, what was he?_

 _He had no time to ponder anything else, for then he felt a strange sensation running down his awareness, if that were even possible. It felt as if he were being taken, cuddled and drawn at the same time. He got the feeling he was being looked at, but how could he know, if he had no senses, no feeling, and no body to call his own?_

 _A sudden jolt raced through his nothingness form, and he screamed in his thoughts, if it could be considered a scream. He was now fearful... Fearful of what was to come next._

 _But he needn't have worried. The feeling faded, and he was left at ease. He let out a brief sigh, but it was cut off as a fragment sparked in his vision, as if he could see it. Slowly, hesitantly, he probed outward, his awareness wary and twitchy. He felt mental fingers caressing him, and then a whisper of thought in his brain. Something touched his floating awareness and then he suddenly felt a barrage of memories coming flooding forward. He cried out, and then he fell back into blissful oblivion._

* * *

 **Location: Auroros Medical Center, Auroros, Aurora, United Kingdoms of Ransei**

 **Date: 9 April 0008 YDR**

 **Time: 1000 hours**

Axel slowly felt his mind coming back from the brink of sweet, blissful oblivion. He struggled to recall the last few days, but for some reason his memory was blank. All he could really recall was up to the time of the fight, and then Franci, the damn bastard, unleashing a hellish barrage on him. He couldn't recall anything else after that.

And for that matter, how long had he been out for?

Something flickered in his vision and he was surprised to see a mini-screen pop up, showing the date and time. His mind was startled by that, and he tried to make it go away. He was relieved when the screen vanished, leaving him in the blackness once more. Now that he thought about it, where was he, anyway? Again that screen came up, this time displaying a mini map in place of the date and time.

He wasn't too surprised to see he was back in Ransei, but to learn he was in the hospital? And how was it he had even survived that assault? And why were these screens popping up in his vision?

Axel felt a shudder race through his awareness. Was this hell? Was he in Ransei or not? Or was he in Purgatory? His mind reeled with all kinds of possibilities and he felt a soft heat beginning to emit from around him. It made him shudder even more, and he began to fear he was one of the damned. A message popped up in his vision not even a second later. _Processor overheat detected. Cool down initiated._

Wait... processor overheat? What did that mean?

He had no idea, but he was finally beginning to feel better as the heat faded from around his awareness. Now that he was able to think, he slowly reached out with his mental presence into the darkness, trying to get an idea of what happened to him and how he lived. As he reached out, his mind came into contact with something and he grasped it, slowly feeling deeper and deeper into the maze of this...place.

He tried to pull his awareness away from whatever he had grasped, but much to his surprise and horror, he could not. He paused, then reached out a bit more into that area of this place. He slowly felt and probed, and slowly he began to sense shapes, a material presence around his awareness there. Like a suit of armor, but not. And strangely enough, it felt as if it fit his essence. Confusion flooding his thoughts, he slowly reached out to a second area, exactly like the first, but in reverse. Again, his awareness seemed to fit into it snugly, almost as if it were made for him. He could sense two... no, three... more places lacking his awareness at this moment. Realizing he had no choice, he expanded his awareness out into those three empty spaces, and it felt, as before, if it were made for him. But what surprised him was the sudden jerk he felt as his essence was slammed home into something. He swore he felt whatever he was in jerk as well.

Axel slowly paused, trying to take stock of what he was currently possessing. Or occupying, or whatever.

He tried to figure out if he even had hands in this new... thing... and he was surprised when he felt something clench. He slowly uncurled whatever it was, checking the amount of digits. Slowly, and one by one, he felt them uncurl... One, two, three... Five digits uncurled and flexed, gently brushing his palm, which was now smooth like metal. He also felt something moving in his arm...? Yes. He had arms. Two of them, and hands with five digits. Four fingers and a thumb. But did he have legs...?

He tried to twitch a foot, and was rewarded with the sensation of a foot bumping against something. He tried with the other, and again the same thing. So yes, he had legs, two of them, and each with a foot. And what about his head? He tried to turn it, and Axel was relieved to feel he had a head that was somewhat humanoid in shape. But that didn't explain the weird feeling in the center of his forehead.

If only he was able to see...!

He tried to open his eyes, but he wasn't able to. Frustration began to build within his chest - yes, he had a humanoid body, at least - and he tried again. This time he was greeted with the sight of something turning... on... and he jerked back, his head colliding with a metal table. He finally got a surge of something rushing through hid body and he forced his vision to clear and come into focus as his training and experiences kicked in. He was thrashing, squirming, and screaming as he spotted a flurry of white coats, a couple of Machamp wrestling him back onto the table - apparently he had broken free of the restrains, he later learned - and then he felt a calming hand on his forehead as one of the Psychic Warriors soothed his mind.

Axel found himself panting, a strange pulsing feeling present within his torso as he lay there. His vision slowly cleared and he finally could see he was in an emergency room. Around him he could see other wounded soldiers, and some of them were bound to tables as best they could be, and beside them lay several forms, but due to his position, he couldn't see them very well. He shifted his head a bit, and his eyes widened as his gaze landed on one of the mechanical bodies.

He was in a GUNDAM Conversion Wing.

Slowly, he raised a hand to his face, and was greeted with the sight of a strong mechanical hand in place of his flesh and blood one. He slowly curled each digit, flexing them and watching them move. His eyes were dilated in his shock, and he sat up, looking down at his new frame, taking in the sharp armor edges, the well-built design, and strong arms and legs. He could feel his new jetpack resting against his back, and his eyes flicked down to his chest, taking in the new armor and color scheme. From what he could see, his armor was a light grey, splattered with hints of darker grey, black, and stony grey. He wondered what his head looked like exactly, so he turned to look at a reflective surface, and his eyes widened in mild surprise.

His new helm was nicely designed. It seemed to hint as to Ransei's feudal past, with a V-fin branching out from a pentagon in the center of his forehead. The sides were smooth metal, with a small flare at the bottom of it, adding sort of a samurai-ish look to his helmet. His faceplate was slatted, with two slats in the middle of it and his eyes were brown, just like in his original human form. His helmet was also colored like his armor, adding a camouflage look that seemed to make him a part of the very rock of a mountain.

A set of footsteps behind him caught his attention and he whipped his head around to face the technician, her whitish hair hanging over one of her green eyes slightly. "Well, good to see you're up," she said. "Are things functioning properly?"

Axel looked back down at his hands and tried to speak, wincing to himself at the sound of his now metallic voice. "Yeah... Everything's working fine," he said, flexing his hands.

"Good. We weren't sure on whether or not you'd even make it, given how badly you were shot up," the tech admitted, looking back at the dead corpse covered on the table next to him.

Axel made a wince as he looked away. "Not even gonna ask!" he muttered.

"We're just lucky your friends got you out of there when they did," she muttered. Axel looked at her confused.

"Uh..."

She began to explain.

* * *

 _"_ _Dammit!" Lt. Col. Mariano Santiago swore as he ran down the pathway to the old prison. He knew that Axel was a good scout, but to not return after fifteen, no sixteen, hours was a worrisome condition for him. Normally he didn't dawdle this long._

 _The forty-seven year old from Valoria muttered under his breath as he brushed aside some of his black hair, his dark skin adding concealment as the sun began to slowly sink below the horizon. He narrowed his dark brown eyes, scanning through the visor of his Excalibur MKIII exosuit. Unlike the MKII, the MKIII possessed more armor, but adjusted to account for the full range of the human body, so the joints would remain protected from attack, as some recent incidents with the Order of Ragnarok remnants had proven. The MKIII was like a powered armor, in a sense, but more form-fitting and more humanlike._

 _The MKIII also had a new IFF system installed; one that actually worked to ID friend or foes._

 _He kept running, a group of his best men, women, GUNDAM, and Pokémon behind him. He finally broke through the brush and into the wasteland border. His eyes widened as he stared at the huge, imposing building further away. "Oh, shit...! That guy is in such trouble after this!" he shouted._

 _Santiago crouched and sprang off the ground, his hand flicking the switch for his jetpack on his right wrist at the same time. The jetpack's turbines roared and he was airborne, flying through the air as the stabilizing fins unfolded; he was glad the team of LaRoussians had suggested the fins, as it allowed for much greater control over his movements in the air. He angled his body and sped right for the prison, his heart racing in his chest. He could see the imposing walkways and Gothic style architecture, and it sent shivers down his spine._

 _It didn't even take long for him to get a shot fired his way, and he whipped his body to the left, the stabilizing fins working to keep him balanced in the air. His eyes went wide as he flew down and around to hide behind a partially collapsing walkway, coming into a hover before bringing up his PokéGauntlet and activating the camera function. He pressed the satellite image and the screen fizzled before it faded to show the image from one of their latest spy satellites up in orbit. He had to admit, after the rescue of the Johtoian refugees four years ago, the intelligence situation had improved somewhat, but they still lacked crucial data. It was only a year ago that Ransei's best engineers and technicians managed to find a way to penetrate through the thick haze over Johto, giving them a clear picture of the situation in the region for the first tine in almost a decade._

 _The satellite, nicknamed Eagle Eye by SatCorp., used a new type of lens filter to block out the haze's light reflection, and allowed them to see Johto finally. And Santiago was grateful for that._

 _Especially as now he could see the full layout of the land._

 _He narrowed his eyes as he stared at the screen showing the wasteland. He could see the remnants of Pallet Town, now linked to the massive garrison at Fort Pallet, along with smaller, minor communities. The very sight made his spine crawl and he could only wonder as to what the populace of all those communities had thought and felt upon The Day the Undampening occurred. He felt his stomach churn, and he brushed the thoughts aside as he panned the camera up to his location._

 _Santiago's eyes hardened as he spotted the massive prison, long since abandoned even before the Undampening took place. But now it stood out amongst the wasteland border, a towering monstrosity that was bereft of any and all life, just like the lands around it. While nothing like the_ La Grande Diviser _in Kalos, it was still a sight to behold, and often called_ Arechi no Kokkyō _to show the divide between the two lands. He shifted a bit, bringing the camera's zoom function to bear and he frowned as he started to pick out snipers perched on the roof and the four massive towers. The only bet now, he knew, was to get in through a frontal assault._

 _By air._

* * *

Axel was stunned. They had launched an aerial assault, knowing the risks, and all to save his life? He was about to speak, but the technician merely shook her head.

"I know what you're gonna ask. And to answer it, no. They didn't do it just for you. They did it primarily because of the fact that the prison there is a threat to the convoys from Johto heading to Kanto and vice versa. You did a good job stalling the bandits long enough for them to get in and finish the job; actually..." A smile graced her lips as she continued. "Your commander felt it was time for something long overdue."

The newly born GUNDAM raised a hand and scratched at his helm, confusion flooding his optics. "Uh... okay? But still... how'd they get me out knowing they'd be attacked like that?"

The woman smiled, shaking her head. "Best you ask your lieutenant colonel, _Sergeant_ Axel Christensen."

Axel's eyes widened, and had he been human still, his mouth would've fallen open. Last he knew, he was still a private, not a sergeant! That was a jump up four ranks! His mind reeled with the information and he felt his new core pulsing double time within his armored chest. "H...How...?!" he rasped, his hands shaking as he looked at them.

"Your efforts over the past several years have proven to be more than exemplary and have actually led to reductions in loss of life, not to mention your unit's successes in subsequent battles six months ago," the technician explained. "Your commanding officer felt it would be best, considering how you turned down the promotion so many times in order to remain a private. And frankly, most of your fellow soldiers feel the same way: you are more than deserving of it."

Axel raised a hand to his face and ran it down his features, stunned beyond belief. He stared in shock as he watched his hand shake a moment.

His thoughts were interrupted as the door to the room slid open and he jerked his head to the left, his eyes widening as he stared at the Supreme Warlord entering the room himself. Axel scrambled to his feet, only for his balance to nearly fail him if he didn't grab onto the platform with his hands. He felt so embarrassed to be in such a state, but the warlord didn't care. He merely shook his head and sighed. "No need to feel embarrassed. It's common for newly born GUNDAM to go through such a stage."

The GUNDAM nodded, regaining his balance and looking the warlord in the eyes. "Sir, this is..."

Spray smiled a bit. "Unusual? Not really. I usually take the time out of my schedule to visit the GUNDAM Conversion Wings." He held out a hand and Axel shakily reached out to grasp it. "I honestly have to admit though, you have performed quite a feat, scouting out alone and with only the Excalibur suit to provide protection."

Axel looked down, his eyes flitting away from Spray's. "I... just wanted to prevent my unit from losing more lives... even for a simple scouting mission..."

The Supreme Warlord narrowed his eyes. "Oh... right. The 666th Infantry Battalion. I'm surprised they haven't lost any more than they already have."

The GUNDAM sighed. "I.. I felt it was time to change that. It seemed absurd to lose so many over mere scouting missions. I did suspect something was wrong, but I couldn't figure out what." He pulled his hand back and clenched it into a fist. "I wonder if it's because of the three sixes in our unit's designation..."

"I don't think so," Spray said seriously. "I feel it may have been just sheer coincidence."

He opened his mouth to continue, but then the klaxons began to wail and red alarms flashed. Spray gritted his teeth. "Shit...!"

Axel looked at his superior. "What's the situation?" he asked.

"No can do, Axel. You're still recovering and adjusting. Leave this one to the others." Spray was serious as he stood up and turned, heading to the door, his black trench coat billowing out behind him. He stopped though, briefly to grab his weapon which lay against a nearby table, and to speak. "Plus, you deserve some R&R for your efforts. This one is all ours."

As Spray left the room, his heart rate began to increase and he felt the first tingle of adrenaline. His crystal hummed with energy and he hefted his weapon as he broke into a run, heading for the parking lot and his bike. Whatever was happening, well... it was bound to end soon. His PokéGauntlet beeped a few times before he looked at it and brought up the screen. "Go."

" _Sir, we got word! There's been a report from Kalos!_ " the SatCorp. officer replied. " _It was picked up not even an hour ago. And we have word that there_ are _survivors there!_ "

"Hold up! Are you serious, Lieutenant?! The latest footage showed that Kalos was pretty much torn in two by all those Espurr blew out their psychic energy!" Spray blurted, his eyes widening in shock. "Survivors were thought to be in very low numbers!"

" _Well, the satellites say otherwise!_ " Lieutenant Brigitte Pfaff remarked. " _But you're gonna have to get here and see it for yourself!_ "

"Right. I'm on my way!" Spray slipped onto his bike and within moments was roaring down the road, heading towards the city of Auroros.

* * *

 **All right, peeps! Here's a new chapter for my files, and of course, a new member to the Poké Wars universe, ZAFT Prime, is gonna be posting soon! Keep an eye out for the story entitled Poké Wars: Underground, and a technical guide called Files of the Underground, both centering around Alola and its surprising rise to a powerhouse in its own right within the post-Undampening world. So be sure to drop a fave and review when it comes up. :)**

 **And a big shout out to Cornova, for even getting me and others involved in this amazing universe. :)**

 **Ja ne~! :D**


	21. MH-34B5 Magmar

**File # 020**

 **MH-34B5 "Magmar" Grenade Launcher**

 **Type:** automatic grenade launcher

 **Weight:** 16 kg (unloaded); 30 kg (loaded with 14 kg belt drum)

 **Length:** 1165 mm

 **Cartridge:** 30x29 grenade

 **Caliber:** 30 mm

 **Action:** blowback

 **Rate of fire:** 400 rpm

 **Muzzle velocity:** 185 m/s

 **Effectice firing range:** 2100 m

 **Feed system:** 30 grenade belt

 **Sights:** varied (see notes)

* * *

 **NOTES**

In the initial aftermath of the Undampening and the subsequent fighting, a variety of weapons have been crafted and utilized against the enemy forces of Uxie and Ho-oh. As stated in other technical manuals, some weapons have been around even before the Undampening. One of these was, as stated in the notes of Dr. Kaminko, the M215 Grotle. The other was the Draco Meteor. And the third was the MH-34B5 "Magmar" grenade launcher.

Like the Chansey armored ambulance, the "Magmar" does not resemble a Pokémon or have any aspects that could link it to the Pokémon it was named after, aside from its basic function. The gun is actually a variant on the MH-34A5 "Magby" grenade launcher, which, while a reliable and widely used automatic grenade launcher the world over, wasn't as reliable, powerful, or accurate. It also wasn't as easy to keep concealed, as its sound was enough to let enemies know where the user was.

The newer version was developed three months after the Unification came to a close, when Order of Ragnarok remnants were still a major and legitimate threat to the newly formed United Kingdoms of Ransei. The design was actually quite a surprise, especially when it proved to be even more effective than the infantry expected. The gun's ability to remain undetected - courtesy of its reduced sound, reduced flash, and lightning speed of the grenade - was an asset that allowed the Ransian forces to engage on a level that the Order had not expected. It caught them totally by surprise, and as such, the buildings in which they were holed up were taken and the Order remnants purged from them.

The gun uses a standard 30mm grenade, dubbed the "Ash" due to its smoky grey color, which is currently used worldwide, and has a basic high explosive fragmentation warhead, as well as a recently developed 30mm version that allows it to shoot well over two thousand meters. It also has a further variant which has a better fragmentation design meant to increase the blast radius.

The "Magmar" can also mount a variety of sights, which, includes among other things, a portable radar unit. The variety means this gun can be used in a variety of conditions, and as the radar indicates, shows it can even be mounted to a vehicle. Its light weight, flexibility, and durability, along with its ability to remain undetected in combat situations, makes this gun a favorite amongst the Ransei Defense Forces overall.

* * *

Selected Field Reports

"This thing is way better than the Magby!" - Petty Officer Second Class Akachi Ihejirika, RNS Murasame

"Have to say, we got lucky. The Magmar is one hell of a grenade launcher." - Sergeant Hamed Darzi, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 509th Armored Infantry, Pugilis Army Base Warsaw

"Ease of maintenance is one thing I love about this launcher." - 2nd Lieutenant Nazli Bousaid, Platoon Gamma, Company F, 17th Infantry Battalion, 509th Armored Infantry, Pugilis Army Base Warsaw

"This grenade launcher has nothing bad about it. Light, adaptable, and hard to beat." - Master Sergeant John Drake, Company E, 14th Battalion, 34th Marine Division

* * *

 **Location: RNS _Murasame_ , Kalos territorial waters**

 **Date: 11 April 0008 YDR**

 **Time: 1300 hours**

The sun was harsh as the battle group steamed through the calm ocean waters.

To the experienced veterans on board, it was deceptively calm.

Perhaps too much.

Captain Zachery Everdeen ran a hand through his dark brown hair, his deep blue eyes narrowed as he watched the coastline of Kalos coming into view. He could hardly believe that after all this time, some survivors had been found. Not just that, but actually thriving and living, not just surviving. The whole enterprise was enough to make him feel profound hope that maybe they could actually prove Ho-oh wrong, despite the crazed bird having not shown his feathery ass for the last several years.

He glanced at the satellite image of the region on his PokéGauntlet's screen, taking note of the color coded areas amongst the factions having formed in the aftermath of the Undampening. One of them was clearly a reddish color, like that of a flare, and he grimaced as he remembered the reports of Team Flare warlords being rampant in the area. It extended from the ruins of Lumiose City out towards and encompassed Vaniville Town, Aquacorde Town, Santalune City, Laverre City, Route 16, Route 15, and Dendemille town.

The next section was a dark greyish color, and he recalled rumors saying that ninja clans ran rampant in that area, expanding out and attacking other areas of the region. It extended out to all of Anistar, Couriway, the settlements on Route 19 (Jacore Town, Joule Town, Gloire City, Fleurrh City), Snowbelle City, Route 21 and 22 which allowed them to move into Santalune City. If anything, the city was the first threat to them because of Team Flare. He mused that if it kept up, a civil war could break out between the two factions.

One of the smaller areas was a sort of gunmetal grey, and he remembered hearing about the Azoth Kingdom, a strange, but highly advanced city that possessed walls that could form into a fortress, if the intel was right. He could understand why they were reluctant to extend beyond their borders, which meant they were effectively isolated, although he suspected an airfield was someplace within the kingdom.

A fourth segment was more of a deep purple, an indication of intense psychic power, and Zachery grimaced. Reports of three powerful Pokémon taking up residence in that area were unconfirmed, but the Heart of Ransei apparently wasn't too willing to let them go unconfirmed, and after some consultation, the Supreme Warlord confirmed the reports when the Heart detected the presences of immensely powerful minds there. The captain's eyes hardened as he looked at the three towns close by - Ambrette Town, Cyllage City, and Geosenge Town - consumed by that dark purple color. He could only theorize as to the conditions within that area.

One section - Route 14 from what he could see - was a dark green color, and his eyes hardened as he remembered that intel from satellites had shown a Florges to be in command there. They'd have to steer clear of that area.

His eyes final shifted to the last section, which was a sky blue color. That was the area they had dubbed Free Kalos, the last surviving bastion of civilization in the region. From what he could recall during the briefing, Free Kalos had several cities and the power plant for the whole region under their command. The survivors controlled Coumarine City, Shalour City, and Camphrier Town, along with the Battle Chateau and Parfum Palace. The palace and chateau, along with Camphrier Town, were heavily fortified, meaning they were able to hold the line. And from what he could see, the city of Coumarine also had some kind of defense system, but it wasn't fully visible. It seemed like it also had a grid of solar panels.

"Smart move, going green like that," he mused. The airfields in the area were very well maintained, and looked as if they had been constructed recently.

"Looking over the data?"

The captain looked up, shutting down the screen and turning to face his XO, Commander Theirn Deschamps. The Kalosian was a refugee, having come to Ransei after the ship he was on was forced to make port within Fontaine's major city. The former cargo captain enlisted in the military shortly after, his experience in commanding ships coming in handy as he worked his way up the ranks, and it showed. His soft blonde hair and light grey eyes were a far cry from the typical Ransian look, but his spirit was clearly Ransian. He stood at the bridge windows, eyeing the coast coming into view.

Zachery nodded. "Yeah. Hard to believe, isn't it?"

"Eight years..." Deschamps sighed. "Eight long years I've been away from home. I can only wonder what has become of my family at this point..." He looked down at the crystal shard around his neck and his PokéGauntlet, fingering them both briefly. He wasn't sure if his family would even recognize him, as he was now a different man from his experiences in the Unification and subsequent fighting.

"Hey. We all wonder what became of our loved ones abroad," the captain said as he placed a hand on the Kalosian's shoulder. "I have an aunt and uncle in Johto... Or rather, I had family there. Lost contact with them the same time the Undampening occurred. I can only fear the worst at this point."

Deschamps nodded, feeling a heaviness settling in his chest. He gripped his crystal in his hand, feeling the warmth beneath his flesh. "I just... wish they were okay..."

Zachery nodded, and he opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when the radar operator waved him over. He made his way over to the station and narrowed his eyes. "Hostiles?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No. But we do have a large amount of Tentacruel and Tentacool in this area," she reported. "We can't go any further."

The captain pursed his lips in concentration. "Well, we'll send the Fearow out to see what the situation is then," he said. "And maybe get an idea for the conditions in the area."

* * *

The team assigned to the scouting party was airborne not even three hours later, the seemingly ungainly aircraft lifting off the deck of the _Murasame_. Normally painted a dark brown color with splotches of green and grey-green, this version of the Fearow tilt-rotor was actually outfitted with the new version of the Light Screen reflective plating, making it as close to invisible as one could get, at least visually; this new version could be turned off and on thanks to a switch in the cockpit, acting like the move Camouflage to conceal the craft from prying eyes. The tilt-rotor's engines pivoted until they were facing ninety degrees and with a slight burst of speed, the aircraft headed for shore, its HoR-enhanced turbines whining at full throttle.

The commander of this team was none other than Master Sergeant John Drake, having been recently assigned to missions overseas with several others of his unit. He narrowed his brown eyes as he ran a hand through his blonde hair before placing his helmet back on his head. He looked down at his Excalibur exosuit, taking in the gleaming armor and the crystal shard pulsing within the chest plating. He shifted in his seat, glancing back over his shoulder at the six other men and women with him.

Two of the shapes in back were GUNDAM Soldiers, and he smiled a bit. Personally he felt glad that the top brass had chosen to send them as his backup.

The first of the two, a hulking mech, shifted as he examined the Keen Eye sniper rifle held in his lap. The gun looked kind of small in his massive metallic hands, but if anything that didn't matter. This mech had trained in using the rifle. Drake turned his focus back to the map outlining the region's different factions on his PokéGauntlet, frowning in response. He scanned it over, finally making the decision. "We'll head to Free Kalos first. We'll see what things are like there, and then we'll scout out the other areas close to the borders."

The pilot was informed and the tilt-rotor banked to head towards Coumarine City, the capital of Free Kalos.

The journey didn't take much longer, and within an hour the city came into view. The buildings looked a little worse for the wear, but were mostly intact. The streets were in good shape, and rather than cars moving down the streets, Gogoats wandered down them, being ridden by Trainers and other people, while on some street intersections stood a few Sunflora. The sunflower-like Pokémon was actually everywhere, Drake noted as he peered through the window. He also saw some people riding their bikes, and two even had dirt bikes. He had to admit, it was better than nothing.

The closest airfield was heavily defended, and not just by humans, but Pokémon as well. As the aircraft came in, the pilots turned off the reflective plating to reveal the tilt-rotor to the air traffic controllers. The airfield director was surprised to hear the tilt-rotor was Ransian in origin, but after some confirmation, he allowed them to land. As the aircraft flashed over the runways and taxiways, the master sergeant was rather impressed to see a variety of cargo and transport planes, but very few passenger planes. He frowned at that, realizing that with so few people in the world left, there weren't many airlines anymore. The Fearow finally circled around, the pilot adjusting the propeller pods to their vertical position and the tilt-rotor touched down, landing on the crowded tarmac.

Drake watched out the side window as people clad in red colored capes and uniforms emerged from the crowd now gathering. He wondered how many people were even here at the moment, but that was driven from his mind as he spotted them starting to move aside, forming a corridor of humanity. Drake cocked an eyebrow as he watched, and then he gasped as he saw a pair of majestic Gogoat coming down the path, towing what appeared to be a Kalosian automobile, but without the engine. The vehicle looked to be in pretty good shape for the new era, painted a nice bright blue and white, with what appeared to be two wings on the doors. The only things missing were the engine and windshield.

The driver was heavily exposed, but he wasn't too focused on that. He was more interested in the person coming to greet them. His eyes narrowed a bit in suspicion. He wondered who it was, and if they were a leader of some importance.

The Gogoat finally brought the car to the rear of the tilt-rotor, the passenger side door facing them. The driver hopped off the car's front and walked around to the side, placing his hand on the door. The man was clearly waiting for his passenger, and that gave the Ransian Marines time to swarm out, forming a neat row of seven in front of the tilt-rotor aircraft. They held their guns at the ready and stood at attention. The driver finally opened the door to the car, and his passenger emerged.

Drake's eyes went wide as he recognized the person who stepped out of the car.

While she wasn't clad in her standard white winged outfit, she was no doubt the same person.

Diantha, the former Kalos champion and famous actress.

Her outfit was now more militaristic, consisting of winter camouflage pants, a white tank top, and black combat boots, the only remnant of her original outfit being the white coat, only now it was shorter and torn along the bottom. She wore her hair a bit differently, as it was messier and a bit shaggier from lack of care. On her left arm she wore a white PokéGlov, the newest device for storing and learning about Pokémon, with a few added functions to it.

She looked over the assembled Marines, her eyes taking in their Excalibur exosuits and their weapons, the helmets, and the two GUNDAM standing at the back of the group. She narrowed her eyes before she looked at the insignia on their exosuits and shoulder armor.

"I must admit I was not expecting _Ransei_ of all nations to come here," she mused, folding her arms. "This is quite a surprise."

"Ma'am, a lot of things have changed since the Undampening," Drake said as he saluted. "Master Sergeant John Drake of the 34th Marine Division."

"Master Sergeant, it is a pleasure to meet you," Diantha said, but she refused to shake his hand once he extended it. "But I must ask why you are here. It is quite suspicious you'd show up when you did..." The way her voice trailed off indicated she wasn't one to joke around anymore.

Drake nodded, lowering his hands. "Well... you know of what's happening within Kalos, right?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes hard like stone. "Yes. The whole country has been divided into differing factions, and not all of them are friendly towards the outside world." The former actress frowned. "And you are here because of that?"

"More than you know," Drake admitted. "Actually, it was the orders of our Supreme Warlord to come here. We were assigned to investigate possible rumors of slaves and thralls within a few sectors of the region."

Here Diantha's eyes became shards of sapphire. "I must regretfully inform you that the rumors are not rumors." She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "The rumors are indeed true. Slaves and concubines exist within the Ninja Territory, as we have come to know it as. I can inform you of the situation more accurately if we can go back to the City Center. If you are willing to come with us."

"Ma'am, we could use all the intel you have," Drake said as he looked at her directly, not even flinching as they met gazes.

She nodded. "Very well. Let us go then."

* * *

The City Center, once the City Hall, was an impressive building, Drake had to admit. Seeing it standing tall above the others was a sight in of itself. He looked up, noticing how tall it stood when compared to the other buildings around it. The number of floors was much larger, and above it flew the flag of Free Kalos, the one symbol that held hope to this battered region. The tilt-rotor had landed on the helipad on the roof, and he and his Marines exited the aircraft, making their way down into the main office floors where Diantha and her fellow governors lived.

The Marines cast their gaze around the rooftop, but Drake was more focused on the woman leading them to the elevator. He could tell that Diantha had seen things, and not all of them were good. Then again, if her outfit was anything to go by, she had been on the front lines like the Supreme Warlord had been, and survived. He only wondered if she had retained her Pokémon...

His thoughts were interrupted as the doors to the elevator slid open and she swept a hand, indicating they were to go in first. The two GUNDAM elected to stay outside, considering their frames and the fact that one of them had wings. The humans filed in, and the doors slid shut. Diantha pressed one of the buttons and the elevator began to descend down to the governors' floor. A soft chime echoed in the cab and the doors opened, exposing a well-lit and tastefully decorated hallway. Drake pursed his lips as they filed out, following her past several doors and hallways until they reached a door with Kalosian words on it. He couldn't read them initially, but his HUD's translator allowed him to read the words as _War Room_.

The former actress opened the door and led the Marines in, closing it behind her.

They all proceeded to gather around the large table in the middle of the room.

"You are correct in that there are thralls and slaves," Diantha said as she looked at each of them. "But we should wait for your fellow Marines before we can start talking."

"No need," Drake said, holding up his left arm. Diantha's eyes narrowed at the tablet-like device attached to it. "We can link them in via our PokéGauntlets."

"Very well." She nodded and he quickly went to work, connecting it to the GUNDAMs' comm systems. He flashed a thumbs up and nodded.

"So, as I was saying, you are correct on the slaves and thralls," Diantha began. She pressed a button on the side of the table and its center lit up brightly. The center began to glow a bright blue as an image of the world appeared, a section highlighting and zooming in on Kalos. The image lit up with several different colors, the same ones as marked on their current maps.

One sector, the dark grey one, lit up in a flash and it shifted, rotating to become horizontal and adjusting. "The Ninja Territory, as you can see, is perhaps the largest and the most threatening," she explained. "As Ninja are stealthy and sneaky, it is hard to be able to stay ahead of them. They can assassinate even high ranking members of the Crimson Knights."

"The Crimson Knights... Those people wearing the red capes?" Lance Corporal Sunan Metharom asked, his grey-green eyes narrowing.

She nodded. "Yes. They are our police force, and our defenders. While we do have some of Kalos' surviving military personnel among us, they are far too few until we can find more. Or at least try to get them to come to us. So we rely mostly on the Crimson Knights. So do not think they are weak. They have seen more combat than anyone else here in our section of the region." Her eyes hardened. "And that is why we have to be on alert for any Ninja attackers."

"What of the living conditions there?" Drake asked, looking at her seriously.

Her she actually grimaced, and his crystal pulsed as he picked up her feelings on the matter. He wondered how bad it could be to warrant such disgust and pure anger.

She turned back to the master sergeant. "First off, I must inform you that what we do know is contradictory to what we believe in, and while they do have some semblance of civilization, they are far from it in certain ways. And second, I do not know what you Ransians consider appropriate punishment for criminals or traitors, least of all what your opinion is on concubines."

That got the Ransians. Amidst the shouting of his soldiers, Drake cracked his knuckles against the table. " _Concubines_?! Harems have long since fallen out of favor in Ransei, right when the Age of Tanaka began. Ever since then, not one harem or concubine existed within our borders. One man or one woman. That's all. But to hear it exists in this day and age...!" He grimaced here, and his eyes hardened.

"Especially when you consider that some of the concubines are _young girls_..." Diantha's voice was tinged with anger, and Drake felt his crystal pulsate with fury and he hissed in anger as he gritted his teeth.

"That's _despicable!_ " he muttered, standing up.

Diantha nodded as she folded her arms. "The living conditions are tolerable, but...the punishment is far from humane..." She looked up.

"What kind are we talking?" Staff Sergeant Lamya Amjad asked, leaning forward. Drake noticed at once that the Cragspur native's eyes were hard like chips of rock, and his muscles were tense beneath his Excalibur exosuit's plating.

"Traitors are punished by the most inhumane method possible..." Diantha held up a hand and touched her mouth before speaking. "Their tongues are removed... thereby taking away their most powerful and potent weapon: their words and voice, and therefore the ability to speak their thoughts. In this way, they also stripped away free will."

At that protests and shouts of anger erupted from around the table, and Diantha had to raise her hands to try and calm down her guests.

Drake beat her to the punch though. "Bastards!" he growled. "How could they do that to their own people!?" He gritted his teeth, standing up straight. "I''d be tempted to give them a taste of their medicine except, well... for one thing... what do you know of Ransei's prison system?"

"Very little," Diantha admitted. "All we know is from the Beforetimes, where Psychic Warriors guard the prisons." She paused here, tilting her head to the side. "Is that still policy, or has it changed from the Beforetimes?"

"Gods, no," Drake told her. He smirked. "That's one thing we kept. It's actually very effective, especially for those who commit serious crimes like robbing a bank, or committing a murder or drug distribution. One stay in our prisons, and they never repeat that same offense. They do it again, and they're executed on the spot once proven guilty. The secret is in our psychic Warriors. They're able to keep an eye on those who are thinking of repeat offenses, and they then tell them the results of repeat offenses, which aren't always pretty, and they stop them from doing it, mostly by reminding them of loved ones who would either die or something of that nature related to gang activities." He sighed. "But I will be honest in that it's not perfect. In fact, over half of those we release are usually arrested on something minor afterwards, but at least it's not the serious stuff... especially child sex and..." The Marine grimaced as he shuddered.

Diantha nodded, remembering the data from the Beforetimes. "Yes. Your success rate of stopping future criminals is a good one. But that is beside the point. The Ninja-"

She was cut off by Drake as he raised a hand. "It's got everything to do with it. At least we of Ransei do not cut out tongues or anything of that nature. We know the importance of one's voice. So we will try and help those who have no tongue by figuring out a way to regenerate it. I imagine that the victims of this abuse can't really eat their food, save for in a paste-like form. I've seen it before, there was a young boy who suffered a similar fate by a mobster from Almia when snuck aboard a warship headed for Hoenn." He lowered his hand. "But I digress, let us get back to the matter at hand. We cannot simply stand by at let these travesties go unchecked but we do not have the resources at this time to set this right, but as you said. It is with a heavy heart that I table the issue with the Ninja for now, at least until we can establish a proper counter to their assassinations." Shouts of disapproval filled the air until he cast a glance back at two of his Marines who were protesting. "And that's an order, soldiers!"

The two Marines relented and saluted.

"So, what else can you tell us about what's happening in Kalos?" Drake asked her.

"The thralls... are perhaps the worst part..." Diantha continued, looking very disturbed and pale in the light from the hologram. She shifted and pressed a few buttons on the table before the hologram shifted to show Kalos. Diantha's eyes were grim as she zoomed in on the territory. Drake whistled at the imposing shape. "Here there are nothing but thralls. And the Malamar that control this area wield powerful hypnotic powers."

Sergeant Zhaklina "Zak" Marinov grimaced. "That's not good," she mused.

"Not in the slightest," Diantha agreed. "From what we've learned, all they need is for you to see their lights which the eye can register from considerable distance. We've taken to using mechanized forces, not nearly as advanced as what you have with you but they suffice. The Malamar send forces every other day and it's the fact they fail to see their thralls have limitations that worries me. And their powers are great enough to cover the entire radius of this area, meaning they don't have to be present in a battle to command their armies. We're just not sure of what is is that they want in our territory."

Amjad pulled out his crystal and held it up. "We know they're damn powerful. The Heart of Ransei confirmed it just before we left for this place."

"Ah. I have heard the rumors, but never considered them to be true or have any validity," Diantha remarked as her eyes landed on the glowing shard around his neck. "Is it true the Heart is sentient?"

"Hell yes," Drake confirmed as he folded his arms. "And more often than not it's been an asset. So we consider ourselves lucky in that regard."

"So, what are the conditions for the thralls like?" Amjad asked, bringing them back on track.

"To be honest, we have no answer at this time," Diantha admitted, her eyes grim. "For all we know, they're treated as mere objects and puppets to be used and discarded at a whim. Our intelligence believes that they force the Pokémon to breed in order to keep their forces strong; this is particularly problematic with the bug Pokémon who have multiple births, but until we actually enter their territory, your guess is as good as ours."

"Then I guess we'll have to gather that data ourselves," Drake remarked, looking at her seriously.

As she opened her mouth to speak in protest, the door to the room opened and one of the Crimson Knights ran in, her eyes wide and her skin streaked with sweat. She looked up, meeting eyes with the ex-champion of Kalos. "Ma'am... We... we got trouble... the borders...!" she panted.

"What?" Diantha's eyes widened and turned to look at the Knight. "What's happening?"

Drake and the Marines present looked at one another, instantly getting a bad feeling as their crystals picked up on the fear and worry of the Knight.

* * *

 **Battle Chateau**

 **Time: 1230 hours**

Viola adjusted her goggles with her free hand, struggling to keep her eyes open despite the rampant muzzle flares below coaxing her to blink. She fought through the urge and kept her eyes trained on the route, knowing full well how quickly the tide of battle could shift. Her eyes had grown stronger since what everyone was calling the Beforetimes, enough that she could clearly see anything for up a half a kilometer. Coupled with a photographic memory and it came as no surprise she'd been delegated the role of scout and lookout.

"It's always the same, isn't it V?" A voice called out from below the edge of the chateau where she stood.

Santalune's former gym leader risked a glance down to the man she'd come to love over the last eight years. His arms and legs were splayed out as he casually clung to the side of the stone wall. Grant did this every time there was an encounter with the Malamar's thrall, saying that it helped him focus and calmed him down. At a moment's notice he could slide down the wall and enter the fray or walk along the side of the wall as easily as he could walk on the ground. It was one of many quirks the pokémon trainers had gained since eight years ago.

"They never learn," Viola replied.

"Wouldn't go that far. Sure they just keep throwing bodies at us, but they've been switching it up lately. They send in their expendables to make us waste bullets and resources before they bring in their real pieces," Grant pointed out towards the Whirlipedes being mowed down by a barrage of bullets, never once making it close to the row of CB17s that established a defensive perimeter around the chateau.

The CBs, or Clembots, as their creator affectionately called them, made slight adjustments to their aim before shredding the remaining bug types still on the field.

"We're using up resources just to get rid of their fodder. Maybe they plan on whittling us down bit by bit, making us complacent before they go full force," Cyllage's former gym leader proposed.

Viola gave him a noncommittal hum in response but silently agreed with the first half of his hypothesis. The Crimson Knights had long ago stopped planting landmines along route 7 when the Malamar started sending Dedenne for the sole purpose of triggering their entry hazards. Grant would still go out in the dead of night to set up Spikes and Stealth Rocks, finding some small level of comfort in that only a few pokémon knew Rapid Spin, and as such they had some idea of what the Malamar would send out to remove it.

A flicker of movement on the horizon caught Viola's eye, followed by a pang of pity that she reflexively smothered into silence. The Clembots took aim and unleashed another wall of bullets down Route 7. Viola watched them ricochet harmlessly off the metallic hides of a line of Mawile, trudging slowly in formation. A small group of Zangoose and Seviper calmly moved behind them. Their eyes were vacant and empty like their expressions as they shuffled down the road.

"We're sparing them," she whispered her favorite lie and lifted the pokéglov on her arm to her lips.

"CBs, retreat for now. We're better off saving our bullets for another day."

"Affirmative," the Clembots replied in unison, the barrels poking out of their hands sliding back into their palms as they moved away.

"What's the situation, Viola?" an older gentleman said through the channel.

"Nothing we haven't seen before, Hennessy. A couple of Mawile and the impossible unholy alliance of some Zangoose and Seviper. I'd say its Earl Tier difficulty."

"I'll have two knights sent over," the duke replied before closing the channel.

A few seconds later she watched a Gogoat blur down the dirt path, bearing two passengers.

"You excited to test out the new upgrades, Julia?" the blonde furisode girl yelled over the Gogoat's thundering gallop.

"Clemont and Belmondo are interested to see how well the prewar weaponry has integrated," Julia Andou replied mechanically.

"But are you looking forward to testing it out?" Fiona pressed.

"I was created solely to do battle," came the maid's famous noncommittal response.

"Of course you were," Fiona deadpanned, sliding the hairbands off her twintails and gathering her hair into one long ponytail.

"I shall engage the Mawile and disorient them while you flank from behind and-"

"-Yeah yeah, I got it Julia. Just do your thing and I'll do mine."

Their targets were now only a few meters away from them and before the maid could comment on how it was tactically unsound to not have gone through their battle strategy, felt the slight pressure of Fiona's shoes on her shoulders. Complaints of getting her maid uniform dirty were left unheard as the pressure on her shoulders suddenly intensified and the furisode girl rocketed into the sky.

Julia watched her ascent, calculating her possible landing zones by the time she reached the full height of her jump. Having factored the new variables Julia hoisted herself over her Gogoat's horns and tucked in her legs. In a blur of movement she kicked off her mount and launched herself backwards. The row of Mawile braced themselves for the mount pokémon's charge, just as the Malamar had programmed them to do for such a straightforward attack.

The Malamar, however, had not psychically programed these Mawile to respond to feints, and as such the deceiver pokémon could only stare blankly as the Gogoat broke the charge at the last second and darted off to the side. Kneeling several meters away was Julia, her right arm extended towards them.

Rigid lines of light snaked down her arm, dividing the limb into different segments that shifted and lifted as the arm reconfigured itself into a new form. Entire walls of code scrolled across Julia's vision, dozens of simulations were run in the span of a second until Julia found one that worked best considering the inaccuracy of her weapon. The Magby grenade launcher built into her arm fired, aiming the shot low and at the Mawile's feet.

A plume of earth and stone erupted from the road as the ground trembled, scorched and shredded bodies of the Mawile tumbled back to the ground. Fiona watched the scene and laughed the entire time as she descended back, twisting through the air until she faced the rear end of the collective Seviper and Zangoose group. The blast had knocked them to the ground, leaving them deafened and disoriented.

"Julia, be a sweet heart and leave some of these to me," the blonde cooed into the pokéglov.

"You will have until I reload another grenade," Julia flatly replied.

"Plenty of time," Fiona laughed, pointing two of her fingers on her pokégloved hand to the road behind her where from a burst of light her two Audino took shape.

"Okay ladies, you know the drill," Fiona grabbed collar of furisode and yanked it off her body in one pull. Beneath the flowing garment she wore a simple black tanktop that ultimately failed to hide the rock hard tapestry of muscles beneath the fabric. A matching pair of black short shorts did little to cover her toned and chiseled legs.

"This is a gift from Valerie and she'll be really upset with me if she has to sew it back up again or make me a new one," Fiona explained, though as to why she even bothered to say anything to Malamar's thralls or even lose the strategic advantage by letting them regain their footing was something Julia could never quite compute. Fiona Kruegar tossed her tattered furisode back to her Audino and with a manic grin she dove headlong into the throng of enemies.

She ducked under the swing of a Seviper's glowing tail blade, grabbing it by the hilt as she closed the distance and stabbed it in the face with its own blade. A Zangoose's claw aimed at her head instead skewered through the scaly flesh of another thrall when she blocked with her first victim's body.

Seeing an opening, a Zangoose from behind her slashed as her back, carving through flesh and muscle. Fiona released a gasp at first then started to giggle maniacally, had it been a normal Zangoose it would've been surprised to find her flesh quickly knitting itself back together.

"Wow. It's been a while since a puppet landed a hit on me. I'm either getting sloppy or the Malamar are close."

Fiona slammed her leg into the Zangoose's chest, knocking him off his feet and off the dirt road where he went still and moved no more. Rather than swarm her with bodies, the other Zangoose and Seviper followed their psychically applied programming, dividing themselves equally and splitting off make as many casualties as they could.

Julia's arm reassembled itself into a normal limb when the Seviper bridged the distance in a matter of seconds. Firing a grenade at such close range would prove more harmful than helpful. Even as the Seviper lunged at her with its fangs bared and tail glowing brightly, Julia's made no move to dodge. The simultaneous bite and slash connected with the maid's throat only to bounce off harmlessly and send the viper back.

Julia didn't waste time explaining that poison attacks wouldn't work on an android and instead reconfigured her arm to unveil a Kalosian steel blade built into her arm. The other Seviper were about to strike at her again, oblivious to the type disadvantage, when Julia's Gogoat barreled in and trampled over them. Seeing the opportunity, Julia darted in and struck with a surgeon's precision; every stab and slash ended in something vital being severed.

The Zangoose who approached Fiona's two Audino found themselves suddenly outnumbered and surrounded by a ring of audino. Any self-preservation they once possessed had been removed by the Malamar, as well as any tactics on how to handle a Double Team technique. As such the Zangoose did what the Malamar had programmed them to do and launched themselves at the illusions. Each Audino unleashed a burst of light, each use of their Flash technique reducing their opponent's vision until they were flailing blindly and even attacking their own teammates.

Fiona glanced at over at the scene and smirked, dropping the head of the Seviper whose skull she had skewered with its own fangs.

"It's only fair," she countered to the dozen corpses at her feet and reached for the tail blade lodged in her chest. She braced herself, glancing back over to her two Audino now closing in on the blinded Zangoose to finish them off.

"Can one of you patch me up again?" She asked, not waiting for a response before yanking the blade out of her breast. Blood immediately spurted from her chest while some dribbled down her mouth, her legs wobbled and felt her vision blur until the wound started sealing itself without so much as a scar. Fiona turned and smiled at her Audino, managing to hit her with a Heal Pulse in the midst of keeping the group of Zangoose busy with the Flash and Double Team combo, one she liked the call Paparazzi. Were it not for her audino consistently healing her during her fights, she figured she would've died years ago.

"Hey Julia, you almost done?" she spoke and turned to face her teammate amidst her own pile of corpses. The maid studied the skewered skull of her latest victim, held in place by a thin blade jutting out of her wrist. A Zangoose who had tried to strike at her from behind met the business end of another sword that protruded from Julia's elbow, its corpse continued to hang there.

Julia lowering her leg, slowly unsheathing a foot long blade that protruded her knee from the seviper whose head she had skewered. With a tiny shift of movement all three blades retracted back into their respective limbs and the bodies they held dropped in unison. Fiona marveled at how nearly every inch of Julia's body seemed to serve some kind of purpose, whether it was severing someone's spine with the hidden blade in her foot or sharpening someone pencil with her ear canal.

The only troubling thing about their mechanical maid was that the time of Julia's creation occurred sometime before the undampening had happened. Questions about her past never got very far, not because Julia didn't feel like indulging them, but whoever had made her had placed a number of barriers that kept her from accessing information about her past.

"I would like to take some of these Seviper back to the base. Their meat will provide sustenance for the others and I can use the poison in their bodies to augment the effectiveness of my blade arms," Julia announced and began to gather the bodies.

"I'll help you carry them," Fiona offered, knowing full well that Julia would turn the offer.

Julia stared at her, the momentary pause making Fiona wonder if today she would actually accept help. A sudden hiss set Fiona on back her guard, thinking one of the Seviper had played dead, and chastising herself for being sloppy once again. She was about to pin point the source of the hiss until Julia's uniform fluttered around the sleeve and her arm fell to the ground.

"Gogoat," Julia called out, waiting for her armored mount to reach her and position himself accordingly. Sown into the saddle were several large leather pouches, each labeled in Kalosian with different colors. Julia's remaining hand split into spindly mechanical digits that frantically danced around the knot over one pouch and untied it faster than Fiona could blink. Her hand resumed its shape and reached into the pouch, pulling out another arm that she effortlessly slipped into the sleeve of her uniform and held by what Fiona imagined was a robotic stump.

A few mechanical whirs and hisses later and the rigid spare arm relaxed, fingers flexing to test the stability of the connection. Fiona was about to ask about the sudden change until the new arm split into a sniper rifle. The muscled model took the hint and darted over to the maid's side, squinting into the distance past her two audino already making their way over to her with her furisode in tow.

Julia peered through the scope on her sniper arm, switching from night to infrared vision in hopes of seeing past the wall of whirling sand making its way down Route 7. She caught glimpses of figures beyond the sand, cross-referencing the physical attributes she was able to make out with her vast memory of previous battles and the data she had uploaded from an old Kalosion pokédex.

"I am registering a number of Rhyperior, Hippowdon, Nidoking, Nidoqueen, Golurk, Marowak, Barbaracle, Krookodile, Heliolisk, and Ferrothron within the sandstorm. Number of opposition within and beyond the storm is difficult to determine at this time. Based on current info, estimated difficulty is Red Writ Marquis Tier," Julia announced into the pokéglov built into her arm.

Fiona felt the blood drain from her face, her body reflexively taking a step back at the listing of their new opponents. Those swirling sands would flay her flesh away faster than her Audino could heal it, not to mention the defensive boost it gave the pokémon within.

"I suggest mission be aborted," Julia offered, waiting for a response from the other line.

* * *

"V…what's wrong? Are they okay?" Grant called out, feeling his lover's heartrate spike through the vibrations in the stone.

"Grant…it's worse than they know. We need to get Diantha," Viola shakily replied.

"Oh shit. Is it really that-"

"Black Writ Duke Tier"

"Fuck. I-I'll get the others ready," Grant said, blitzing past her to the lower floors.

"Hennessey, wake Valerie up. Tell her we need her and Anita to set up a defensive barrier around the Base. Get Sancy or Gisognono to get word out to Camphrier and get them prepared. I also need Robin and Royan up here to see if we can stop the shitstorm that's about to hit us," Viola yelled into the pokéglov, switching channels and effectively cutting off the man before he could respond.

"Julia, Fiona. Retreat back to the base immediately."

Viola pointed out her finger to the spot behind her and with a flash her Vivillon materialized from the light.

"I need a lift," she explained, stretching her arms out until her ace pokémon moved into position. Viola grabbed on and ran off the edge of the chateau, years of experience had made her comfortable with the sensation of nothing beneath her feet even as Vivillon rose higher and higher above the world. She could see beyond the cyclone of sand inching down Route 7, but what she saw past it made her hopes plummet back down to the earth.

Marquis Royan and Duchess Robin watched Viola's descent back to the chateau, waiting for her to land before speaking.

"You called for us ma'am?" Royan asked and flinched when she whirled around to face them, tucking her arms behind her back in an effort to hide how much they were shaking.

"How can we help?" Robin sheepishly offered.

"It's taken them a few years but the Malamar are sending out a large number of pokémon to take us out. They're using Sandstorm as cover so I need you to cancel it out or change it to something that we might be able to use. Robin, your Bellossom can use Sunny Day and Royan, I believe your Vanilluxe can use Hail. Decide between the two of you as to which strategy you want to go with and assemble a team to support you. I'm sending you a list of what your teams will expect for the first wave," Viola said as her fingers danced over a hologram interface over her pokéglov.

"Wait…ma'am, did you say first wave?"

"Yes. It seems like the Malamar have been busy since their attempt a few years ago. I'll relay an updated roster to you and your teams but for now, focus on taking out whatever's on your list. I'll be forming other teams to help support you and to help handle the pokémon in the subsequent waves. Now go!" Viola barked, and hoped that she would live to see their faces by tomorrow.

* * *

 **Location: Camphire Town - Free Kalos Border Zone**

 **Time: 1530 hours**

The Fearow tilt-rotor flashed overhead as the area lit up below with the telltale explosions of battle. Bright icy blue beams not unlike those the MG42-38A "Ice Beam" fired streaked below the aircraft and shot at the closest barricade, freezing it solid and Drake narrowed his eyes. "Gods... They're not holding back, are they?" he asked.

"You sure it's a good idea to even risk this though?" Diantha asked from over his PokéGauntlet's screen. "You could become another thrall."

"That's why we're not going down," Drake said, grinning as he glanced back at the two GUNDAM now huddling near the rear of the craft. "The two GUNDAM with us are."

"Only two?! I thought you had more with you," Diantha remarked, her eyes widening in shock.

"Oh, we do, but they're back on the RNS _Murasame_. We're on our own for now. But don't worry. They can give as good as they can take. Plus we've got a few...assets...with us," the Marine said with a wicked grin. He turned to them as the back ramp slid open and a few pieces of paper whisked past them and disappeared into the clusterfuck below. The GUNDAM both held in their hands the MH-34B5 "Magmar" grenade launcher along with the Keen Eye sniper rifle on the back of the mech. The mech gave the thumbs up before the femme beside him leapt out, flaring her jetpack to slow her descent. The mech followed shortly after, falling back and flaring his wings before his thruster pack lit up.

Drake hissed as he saw a few of the Pokémon below - Scolipede - charging up several orbs in between their mandibles and tapped the pilot's shoulder. "Get us outta here!" he remarked. "Unless you wanna be shot to bits by Hyper Beams and Solar Beams!"

The pilot glanced back and his eyes widened as a salvo of bright orange light lanced their way. He gunned the throttles and the aircraft lunged forward, its HoR-powered turbines roaring in their ears. But they didn't get away unscathed; the nearest beam clipped their rear ramp, and severed a good portion of it off. The metal shard fell down, cleaving one of the Scolipede in half and ending that threat. But there were still many others below.

* * *

Lance Corporal Erhard Fiedler plummeted through the air, his wings spread to full width as he hefted the grenade launcher in his hand. He also carried with him his Keen Eye sniper rifle; not that it would be of much use though in this mess. He made sure to align the scope with his sensors as he descended, leaning back and using his thrusters to slow his descent enough to pull the trigger.

The grenade launcher roared in his audios, albeit not as loud as its predecessor, and the charge streaked through the air, striking one of the clusters of Scolipede before they could launch their salvo of Solar Beams right for the tilt-rotor as it sped out of sight and away from the battlefield. The explosion left nothing but remains and dead bodies behind. "Take that, you stupid puppets!" he growled.

Beside him Private First Class Minoru Yamaguchi looked through the sights of her own launcher and fired, this time right for a group of Clauncher aiming to use Bubblebeam to penetrate the frozen walls of the fortified town. The gun sent its charge right for the Water Gun Pokémon, striking them and exploding in their midst. Nothing was left by the time the smoke cleared. But there were still more coming.

"Tawagoto!*" she shouted, cursing in Ransian. "We got over a thousand of the kuso tta otoko tachi** coming in fast!"

"You think I don't see them?!" Fiedler growled as he aimed his launcher for the nearest group. His eyes picked it out as a phalanx formation, rather basic, but very effective for volleys of Ice Beams. "Damn those Malamar!" He pulled the trigger and the grenade flew true, striking the closest Clauncher and blowing them to bits. He hissed through his vents as the closest of the next Pokémon - a flash of black indicated it was a Noivern - fired off a Dark Pulse for the walls of the city.

"Verdammt zur Hölle!*" Fiedler yelled, whirling around and gunning his thrusters to full. He let go of the Magmar with one hand and held up his left arm that held his shield, and sped in front of the incoming Dark Pulse. He grunted as the attack slammed headlong into the defensive equipment, and he swore his arm was shaking from the effort of merely trying to keep the shield in place. He narrowed his eyes and hissed through his vents as he shunted more power from his core to his systems and hydraulics. He felt the telltale drain before he repositioned his feet and pushed harder, his eyes flashing. "No you don't!" he grunted, trying to stop the attack in its tracks.

The last thing he expected was to see a barrage of Bullet Seeds firing from behind the wall, and his eyes widened as he was forced to dash to the side. The Dark Pulse was struck by a Bullet Seed, which exploded and threw up dust and dirt. The other seeds struck the thralls, and blew several large holes in the group. Fiedler was surprised by this.

 _Where did those come from?_ he thought.

His eyes flicked over to the frozen wall, and they widened as his sensors started to register a significant increase in temperature around the area. "What...?"

"LCPL Fiedler, you reading me?" Drake asked over his comm. "We just picked up several large explosions outside your position."

Fiedler nodded, pressing his right hand to his helm. "Yes, sir. What's happening beyond the walls?"

"Looks like the Sunflora, or rather some of them, have decided to assist in the fighting. They're lining positions behind it, enough to launch Bullet Seeds over the wall," Drake replied. "It's quite impressive, really. Like artillery."

"Better than them using real bullets," the GUNDAM admitted. "And it does show that the Kalosians aren't holding back." He watched as a second volley came their way, arcing over the wall and falling down in the middle of a new cluster of Pokémon, mostly Scolipede.

"Also, since the wall's been frozen, at least several clusters of Sunflora have used Sunny Day to boost the temperature and melt the ice," Drake reported.

"I was wondering why my sensors registered an increase in temperature," Fiedler muttered as he gripped his grenade launcher in his hands again. He shot a glance back at the ice-covered walls, a hint of anxiety filling his core. The walls were still gleaming in ice, but parts of it were starting to melt and warp; the heat from Sunny Day was making a difference. He only hoped it would be enough to crack and shatter the ice.

"Just remember to be careful out there!" Drake remarked.

"Yes, sir!" the GUNDAM said. The comm fizzled with static before it shut down and he turned his gaze back to the matter at hand.

"Okay... here we go!" he muttered, hefting his weapon.

He armed his launcher and leaned back, adjusting for the trajectory and narrowing his eyes. The targeting reticle danced across his vision and he waited before it lined up with his target. "Okay, bastards! EAT THIS!" he roared, pulling the trigger and sending a grenade right for the closest thrall cluster - in this case a bunch of Granbull - before they could use Earthquake. He grinned in his thoughts as the grenade's explosion died down. "Gotta love this thing!" he remarked.

"Heads up! We got Salamance incoming!" PFC Yamaguchi cried as she barely avoided a barrage of Embers. The mech turned and his eyes narrowed as he hissed. "Dammit! Not what we needed!"

"We may have to call it in!" the femme said, and at once Fiedler felt his core stop humming altogether for a brief instance. He darted in, grabbing her by her chest armor.

"Are you insane?!" he cried. "We can't just call it in! That's paramount to destroying any hope these people have left! We are not calling it in!"

"But what else can we do?!" Yamaguchi asked in a panic. "We can't just call in for air support! That's not-" She was cut off as she watched her superior eye her with a glint in his blue eyes.

Fiedler smirked in his thoughts. "Oh... I believe we cam..." he mused, an idea forming in his processor.

* * *

 **Location: RNS _Murasame_ , Free Kalos coastal waters**

 **Time: 1615 hours**

"You want to _what?!_ " The captain's eyes were wide as he heard the call from Drake come through.

"You heard me," Drake said, looking him in the eyes. "There's a bunch of thralls controlled by those Malamar, and they're gonna overrun Free Kalos unless we do something. And your ship is the only one with enough airpower to drive back those thralls, especially the aerial ones, and those with long range attacks. They could blast down the walls, and trust me, we don't want that to happen."

Zachery glanced down at the table, eyeing the map on it. He could see the bluish-white dots of Ransian crystal energy just barely holding back the large numbers of Pokémon attacking. From what he could see, it seemed like they had no choice. But then again, if Drake's intel was right... they could potentially become thralls as well. Even so, if they didn't try... then would they be able to confirm the possible rumors of the Heart protecting them from mind control?

He gritted his teeth and sighed. "All right... We'll go for it, even though it's a bad idea."

Drake smiled on the monitor. "Thanks, sir. It'll really give these people some hope."

"Right." Zachery cut the line and got on the horn.

* * *

Hidden deep within Kalos, a single kingdom lay protected. But for some, this place was not just a safe haven: it was a literal fortress. Sure it possessed a harbor and wharf, but it was nothing like the big city of Coumarine, let alone the former Lumiose City. From a distance, it resembled a normal kingdom, surrounded by a wall and heavily fortified turrets. But as one got closer, it became much more than that. Within this kingdom were massive gears and cogs that whirled and clanked, driving the city and giving its inhabitants light and heating. And within this kingdom lay a great secret.

This was the Azoth Kingdom, a mechanized city of great advancement and power.

The Azoth princess, Kimia, stood atop the palace, her eyes fixed on the sights of smoke crawling over the horizon. Her blonde hair blew lightly around her face and her blue eyes narrowed as she grasped the cloak she wore. Ever since the Beforetimes came to an end, she had taken to wearing more militant clothing, primarily forgoing her signature blue dress-like shirt for something more modern and less restrictive. She now wore a blue T-shirt and a dark blue cloak that was starting to tear and fray at the bottom. Her hairstyle had become much looser, falling down her back and entwining in a braid that split into two at the bottom. Her signature gear-shaped hairpieces were hooked around her braid ends, and at her side was a Pokémon like no other.

It stood only one meter in height, and looked to be made out of gears, with a distinct appearance much like a rabbit-like Pokémon, but not. Its lower half was actually a much larger sphere, and it looked like it could fold its upper body into the sphere. It was primarily colored gold, with red on the bottom and a shield shape on its lower sphere. This was Magearna, the Artificial Pokémon.

Behind Magearna stood another Pokémon, one much larger, colored maroon with blue and yellow markings. What appeared to be a shaped ring on its back were actually two interconnected arm-like cannons, and its blue eyes were hard. This unique Pokémon was none other than Volcanion, companion to Magearna and Kimia. While initially reluctant to leave the Nebel Plateau for the safety of the Azoth Kingdom's borders, when hostile Pokémon started swarming in, he agreed and took them into the borders beyond the defensive walls.

The trio watched the thick smoke spiraling skyward and Volcanion snorted. "More of those thralls," he mused in her mind, his deep voice resonating in her thoughts.

"True," Kimia remarked, "but at least they haven't attacked us yet."

Magearna turned to Volcanion and beeped something out, waving her pointed hands in a frenzy. The Steam Pokémon grunted. "If they do, they'll be sorry..." he muttered darkly.

Kimia merely scowled. If anything she was just as worried as her two companions. Ever since the Undampening, her brother and the heir to the Azoth Kingdom, Raleigh, had never returned from his journey. Only a few months later did she learn he was dead. Now she was the heir, and the current leader of the new branch of the Azoth Militia to defend the city. Her gaze shifted towards the wall surrounding the kingdom, or more specifically, a portion of it that looked rather new for its design.

Her gunmetal grey and gold PokéGlove beeped a few times and she raised the device to her face, pressing a button and the image of her aide, Flamel, appeared.

Like Kimia, Flamel had undergone a change from her usual self. She wore her hair short still, but it was now somewhat shaggier and she had given up her glasses for a visor of sorts that protected her eyes better. She now wore a more militant uniform, but mostly colored black and white with hints of red on it. The dress was traded in for black and red pants with white boots, and a black jacket and vest covered her upper torso; a white T-shirt was underneath that. On her left arm she wore a red and black PokéGlove.

"Ma'am, we've just gotten a transmission intercepted," she said.

"Who's it from?" Kimia asked. Magearna and Volcanion both leaned in, listening intently.

"It seems as if Free Kalos has just made contact with a foreign nation," Flamel reported. "This nation, known as Ransei from what we've heard, is here to apparently free the slaves from the Ninja territory and end the thrall issue from the Malamar."

"Any idea as to what assets these Ransians have brought?" Kimia asked seriously. She wasn't willing to take any chances unless they had an idea as to what was going on.

"They currently have a ship stationed further back beyond the Tentacruel and Tentacool near the coastline, along with a fleet of other ships to supply them and act as defense." Flamel's eyes darted over the screens in the background on the monitor of her PokéGlove. "But due to the situation with the thralls, they're having to call in air support. And given the capabilities of these three Malamar..." Her eyes darkened and Kimia hissed.

"Dammit... we've got no choice then," she muttered.

Magearna hesitated, but then nodded her head.

Volcanion though grunted. "Unless you have a reason, I don't think it's a wise choice."

"The very future of our world is at stake," Kimia pointed out to the Steam Pokémon. "Also, you're right. We currently have a shaky trading relationship with the Flare Consortium, and to establish trade relations with Free Kalos could also benefit us. More resources to repair it in case of damage, and more supplies to stock it with."

The red Pokémon narrowed his blue eyes, but nodded. "I concur with your points. But I don't trust that Flare Consortium as far as I can blast them. And I'm not too keen on Free Kalos either. But we have no choice."

She nodded and looked back at Flamel. "Alert my father I am heading out," she said. "We will be moving at once."

"Yes, my liege," the aide replied, bowing before closing the line.

Kimia turned to Magearna. "I hope you are ready for this. We need your help this time, Magearna. I know you have bad memories, but..."

The Artificial Pokémon beeped and shook her head, pointing to the kingdom and then to the section of wall, then to her chest. She then nuzzled Volcanion and pointed to Kimia.

The Azoth Princess felt tears come to her eyes as she deciphered the meaning of the message. " _I will fight to protect the ones I love. Even if it means reactivating the fortress._ "

* * *

 **Location: Camphire Town**

 **Time: 1645 hours**

Fiedler had no idea as to what was coming later on, but he was currently feeling immense relief at seeing Ransian Skarmory fighter jets rocketing past him, their engines whining with power as they blasted at the Salamance attacking the fortified walls of the city. The sleek grey and red planes twirled and spun like dancers in the air, but it was still a hard battle, even with the skills of their pilots.

He only wished he was amongst them again.

He hated the fact that a Mankey in Guyana ten months ago jumped him and left him to die of a broken spine if not for the quick thinking of the Alolaian soldiers assigned to back them up. After being rescued, everything was just blurry until he woke up several weeks later.

Now though at least he had the ability to actually fight one on one with a Pokémon if it ever came down to it; save for the Electric-types. That was the one downside, he knew, of being in a GUNDAM frame. He shifted to the side, using his thrusters to avoid a Hyper Beam fired from a large Salamance coming his way. He mentally gritted his teeth as he hefted his "Magmar" grenade launcher and prepared to pull the trigger.

The grenade fired from the launcher, arcing right for the Salamance. The thrall wasn't programmed to evade, so the projectile hit and exploded, sending body parts raining down to the large numbers below. They didn't even take notice of it. Fiedler wondered if the minds of these Pokémon even existed still. If not, then that was an issue that needed to be rectified. The only question was how.

The GUNDAM forced the thoughts from his processor as he targeted a few others with his grenade launcher - this time a large cluster of Throh - as they prepared to unleash Earthquake at the walls of the town. Although the Sunny Day had melted the ice coating them, the damage from Earthquake was sure to damage them beyond repair as it stood. The grenade slammed into the Throh and exploded, sending body parts every which way; a few people of Free Kalos manning the border wall were surprised at this.

If there was one thing Free Kalos had going for it, he had to admit, it was that they were stubborn and wouldn't give up their territory without a fight. Much like Ransians in many ways. The only difference between the two was that the Kalosians weren't as accustomed to fighting amongst themselves like Ransians were; three thousand years of inter-kingdom fighting led to that. And now, in a stark contrast, Ransei was united and Kalos was divided. Historically the region was always united, giving it a presence in the major players of the Beforetimes. But now it was reversed.

At least Ransei had experience in this kind of thing.、

Fiedler shot a glance down at the massive force of Pokémon, his eyes hardening as he spotted a few Solrock preparing to fire off a Flamethrower attack. That was a problem, especially as the walls were weakened from the ice.

He was about to fire on them when he sensed a Skarmory fighter jet rocketing past, and he moved aside as it released a missile for the Solrock. A few of them threw up a double layer of Protects and Light Screens, and the missile slammed into it, shattering the barrier. But the missile exploded after impact, and the GUNDAM growled as he prepared to fire his grenade launcher. But he was forced to retreat as a slew of Beedrill came in, firing off Poison Stings to try and injure him; not that they'd do much damage to a GUNDAM frame.

He was surprised to see this tactic, and he finally realized what it meant as the Solrock let loose with Flamethrower. "NO!" he screamed, aiming and firing his launcher. The grenade struck a Solrock and exploded, shattering it, but it did little to influence the eventual outcome. The Solrock let loose with their Flamethrowers, and the GUNDAM screamed out as he flew down, intent on intercepting the attack.

What he did not expect was salvation to literally fly into the face of the attacks.

* * *

Within the Azoth Kingdom, King Nazarenus Azoth, the reigning monarch, watched on the main monitors as his daughter neared the construction site, and his eyes narrowed as he put his hands in front of his lips in a tented position. He knew of the risks in the mission she had undertaken, but if she didn't know them herself, then she wouldn't be going. And truth be told, the kingdom was in dire straits, needing supplies to rebuild the shattered eastern wall, after a massive Tentacruel busted through it. They only had so much to go around. And if his daughter was right, then the act of saving Free Kalos could get them additional supplies to supplement those traded with the Flare Conglomerate.

He watched as the fortress began to shift and move, the crystal levitators on the bottom pulsating and granting it flight. Unlike the previous design in which the walls merely folded up into a crumpled paper-like ball, this one allowed the fortress to take a more realistic and practical shape. The walls actually folded up into a somewhat square design, with two large sections of wall acting as like wings. The front of the fortress was taken up by a large segment of rock and steel, but within that segment was the cannon for the fortress, its primary armament: the Fleur Cannon.

Nazarenus watched as the newly shifted fortress began to move, heading away from the kingdom.

"Kimia... be careful..." he muttered. "I do not want to lose you like I did your brother and mother..."

He shifted in his seat and looked at the photograph, showing him and his wife, the Queen of Azoth who had died three months prior to the Undampening from lung cancer, and their two children. He ran a hand down the photo and sighed. "My daughter... you are all I have left..."

"Come back safe..."

* * *

The battle at Camphire Town was starting to tilt in favor of the hordes of thralls. Even with the assistance of Ransei's carrier forces, it wasn't enough to drive the hordes back. In fact, they seemed to keep coming. And with the sandstorm starting to envelop the town, the fighter jets were forced to fall back to greater and greater distances, relying on their missiles to deal damage to the thralls as they kept coming.

For Fiedler, this was a nightmare. A nightmare he desperately wanted to wake up from.

Below him fires were now raging, and it seemed to him this was an apocalyptic wasteland. The only thing holding back the majority of the sand were the walls, but even they couldn't keep the forces banging at them back for long. It was only a matter of when the forces would break them down. And he could see the walls starting to give way. He only wished there was some way to drive them back in larger numbers, or failing that, wiping them out.

And a tungsten rod wasn't going to cut it this time. There was no way they were going to drop one on Free Kalos, and possibly wipe out the only hope of civilization the region had left.

The very thought of such a scenario sent shivers down his back struts. Fiedler wondered if the Supreme Warlord would even approve such an outrageous idea; a small part of him said he wouldn't. He only hoped it was true.

He peeled to the left as a Hyper Beam barely missed his wing and he whirled around, killing the Scolipede with a blast from his "Magmar" grenade launcher. The mech was starting to feel tired; he had been fighting for a total of... He checked his internal clock and his eyes widened a bit. _That long_?! Had they really been fighting for over _seven hours_!?

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden blast of energy he recognized as being from a Solar Beam; he shot a glance down at the ground below and wasn't too surprised to see the Sunflora coming out en masse to drive back the hordes of thralls. It was a last ditch effort, he knew. Solar energy wasn't easy to come by in a sandstorm like this. That also made matters more difficult, as without sunlight to recharge their attack, it was a one shot deal. So to use it was a choice they had to make. And soon.

Thankfully things were about to turn in their favor, even if they didn't realize it at the time.

As the fighting raged on, he became aware of his energy levels starting to drop. He could feel his frame starting to slow down as his core depleted its power. "Dammit! Any more fighting like this and I'll run out of power!"

The last thing he expected was to hear a loud barrage of...something... slamming into the large amount of thralls hidden by the sandstorm. His eyes widened as he looked back in the direction of the incoming projectiles and he gasped as he realized they were not bombs, but energy balls reminiscent of an Energy Ball attack. But they were a pinkish hue instead of in the usual greenish color. It also helped that the thralls generating the sandstorm were nailed as well, for now he could start to see the battle ravaged city below.

He looked around, and his eyes landed on a structure coming their way.

"Oh, shit...!" he breathed.

The structure coming in their direction was a literal flying fortress, with two "wings" made out of stone and metal, a large amount of crystal levitators on the underside to grant it motion. And in the middle of this fortress was a large circular object that resembled a laser cannon of sorts, but it was not just that; it had smaller and more numerous ports to the left and right of it. These lit up and belched more energy balls their way, striking the thralls and generating more craters in the dirt and sand.

As the thralls prepared to launch an attack on the newcomer though, the cannon on the front began to power up, swiveling until it was aiming at the largest group of thralls, their Hyper Beams about to fire to break through the battered metal walls of Camphire Town's defenses. Then...

It fired.

The besieged defenders of Camphire Town were in awe by the fortress as it floated overhead, acting like a sentinel in their defense, as its cannon belched a pinkish-hued beam, striking the thralls and blowing them to bits, slowly moving away from the town and taking out a second group as they prepared to mount another Sandstorm attack. For Fiedler, this was the chance he needed to regroup and regain some strength.

He darted back, just as what appeared to be turrets on the fortress swung around and started firing as well, sending bullets and pink-hued lasers in the direction of the thralls. Their numbers were starting to whittle down, and that allowed the Ransian fighter jets to come back around now that the sandstorm had abated somewhat. Sure they still got sand blasted, but at least they could fight now.

And this was the chance they needed to resume the offense.

Missiles started flying as more attacks launched from the thralls, and it devolved into a madhouse. Fiedler had trouble keeping track of who was who and who was what, etc. All he could recall in the aftermath of that frenzied fight was lying on the ground, his chest heaving and his arms and hands bloodied with red. In fact, it was only days later that the footage showed the aftermath of the overall fighting, which was gruesome and downright gory enough to warrant being censored by the Ransian Communications Commission, something that rarely happened as Ransei took freedom of expression and speech seriously.

When the battle ended around 2000 hours that evening, everyone was worn out, the Free Kalosians manning the border wall were out of ammo and needed to be treated for their wounds and whatnot, and the Ransians needed to fall back for resupply on their ship. Only Drake and the six other Marines remained behind to meet with the commander of the flying fortress.

* * *

 **Location: City Center, Coumarine City, Free Kalos**

 **Time: 2100 hours**

Within Coumarine City's City Center, everyone was situated within the war room, this time the GUNDAM included. Drake had to admit, being roped into a fight of that nature was something he had not expected.

His crystal pulsed underneath his exosuit's armor and he felt tempted to clench it, but declined in favor of gripping his rifle instead.

Diantha's gaze was locked onto the commander of the fortress, a young woman with blonde hair and dressed in a military uniform of sorts. And her gaze was clearly hardened by battle. Enough to where he pegged her as a soldier. And yet the air she carried with her was that of royalty, not just a soldier.

The commander walked over and both women looked at one another, tension in the air. Diantha's eyes narrowed as did the woman's. Then, the woman smirked.

"Diantha. You've certainly changed your tune," she said, placing a hand on her hip.

"Yes. War can do that to people," the ex-actress replied as she folded her arms. "Which brings me to my next point. You've certainly come at an opportune time, just in our time of need. Rather convenient if you ask me. Your kingdom lies south of Route 20, well within Kagetomo and Lysandre's domains. I doubt your kingdom has made it this long without interacting with either of them in some way. How do we know you're not a spy?"

"And these guys are not?" Kimia yelled, looking at the Ransians. "They clearly look like foreigners. And given how little we know of the outside world at this point..."

"Just because we're from another nation doesn't make us spies!" Drake shot back, pulling out his crystal and letting it hang in front of his chest armor. The crystal pulsed as he sensed the obvious distrust she had for him. And was that _envy_?

The woman's eyes hardened at the sight of the crystal around his neck, and she pursed her lips. "So the rumors were true... Ransei _does_ have some kind of new source of power..."

Drake's eyes narrowed into slits. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering our logistics trains are some of the longest in the world," he muttered. "Still, that doesn't explain why you're here. And why you seem to treat us as spies."

"Just like Diantha said, you and your people suddenly arriving when there is trouble? A little too coincidental, if you ask me!" the woman hissed, stalking towards him.

Drake clenched his fists as his crystal flashed with his anger. "Our satellites happened to pick up the activities here, and as such, we were ordered by our Supreme Warlord to investigate the situation on the ground! Not invade or do anything of that nature!"

"You say you have no intentions of invasion and yet you take order from a Supreme Warlord? You'll excuse me if I don't believe you came here entirely for altruistic reasons," Kimia's voice was full of venom.

"Enough!" LCPL Metharom cried, slamming his hands on the table. "We can't be fighting amongst one another!"

"He's right," Diantha said rather coolly. She looked up and eyed each of the Ransian Marines and the commander of the fortress. "But I will ask you once more. Why are you here, Princess Kimia Azoth?"

Drake frowned and backed up, sitting down in his chair as he crossed his arms.

Kimia turned to face the assembled group and sat down.

"First off, you are correct to assume I am here for a reason. But it is not what you feel or fear. Rather we are here to potentially open up a trade agreement with Free Kalos," she said. "And to answer your question, the reason we even came was to help drive off the hordes, to prevent our future business partner from falling."

Drake was silent as he narrowed his eyes. "..."

"Our kingdom is currently running short of resources to rebuild itself in the aftermath of the Undampening, and from the fighting taking place outside its borders. And as it stands, we need the potential supplies Free Kalos can bring in via plane and route travel. Our current trading partner, the Flare Conglomerate-"

Drake stood up at that, his hands slamming the table.

"So you _are_ working with those bastards!" his eyes flashing with his crystal. He gritted his teeth as Kimia merely folded her arms.

"We need their technology to help rebuild the kingdom, but as I said, they can only offer so much in the way of supplies," the princess retorted calmly. "Our kingdom's technology may still be working despite being over five centuries old, but that doesn't make it infallible."

Diantha was silent as she pondered this.

"So you also seek to gain resources to build the technology you need," she mused. "Not just technological advantages, but also supplies."

Kimia nodded, her eyes softening. "Yes. And also because we are only capable of producing so much ourselves."

The Ransians all looked at one another before Drake spoke up. "So you seek to maintain a neutral stance?" he asked warily. He stood up straight as the princess turned to look at him directly.

"Yes. But only until we can decide which side to support. We can hold our own, but given recent circumstances, we need to seek out allies. And relations are strained with other factions in Kalos at the moment."

Drake frowned, but could see she had a point. With Kalos so divided, it made sense to maintain a sense of neutrality as best they could. And for once, he had nothing more to say.

* * *

 **Location: Laverre City, Flare Conglomerate Headquarters.**

 **Time: 2200 hours**

"It would seem a few more pieces have been added to the board," Kagetomo spoke aloud, Lysandre's body tensing at the sound of the man's voice. Lysandre's bodyguards, wearing Xerosic's Expansion Suits dubbed Essentia, were already in defensive positions, moving faster than even Kagetomo could follow. The ninja clan's leader had fought Essentia soldiers before, finding them more of a match than most pokemon he dealt with. As much as he hated to admit it, with their enhanced strength, speed, and reaction times the Essentia would win in a prolonged fight. Even assassination attempts against them ended in failure, as soon as any ninja or projectile came within a few meters the wearer became instantly aware of their presence and reacted accordingly. To date, none of his ninjas had succeeded in defeating an Essentia soldier.

"Worry not, I am not here to fight." Kagetomo showed his hands, trying and failing at making the gesture nonthreatening. Lysandre had heard reports where Kagetomo had killed a man from afar with nothing but a toenail clipping.

"How did-" Lysandre immediately began think but cut the question short, seeing little to be gained from continuing the thought. Instead, the Team Flare boss's hand formed a specific handsign and felt the orange visor slip over his eyes. Three metallic tendrils rose from the casing on his back, each connected to a hovering insectoid construct.

"As a sign of good faith you'll find that your staff and resources have been untouched."

Lysandre hid his scowl behind his bridged fingers. This was the same man whose forces had been a thorn in his side for years; targeting and stealing supplies from his caravans and assassinating high ranking operatives.

"I wouldn't feel too bad about your security. Only one such as I could've made it past it and I doubt I could ever repeat such a feat again," Kagetomo smiled coyly from his side of the room, his hearing was acute enough enough to hear the leather tighten around Lysandre's clenched fists. He could even make out the man's frantic heartbeat and smiled even wider when its rapid tempo slowed to an even rhythm.

To what do I owe this visit?" Lysandre spoke slowly, having scanned the room for any airborne substances and studied Kagetomo's vitals. The ninja's heart beat steadily in his chest, his face was devoid of any microexpressions or tells that would've told him whether his last statement was a lie. If he made it out of this situation, there would definitely be some adjustments to his security.

"You and I both know the Azoth Kingdom has officially entered the fray. How long their supposed neutrality will last? And what of this...Ransei region? My spies have informed me they dislike our methods and hold no love for your faction either. While I have no love for your faction, the meddling of these foreigners will not be tolerated. I come to you with offers of a temporary cease fire. Your caravans and supplies will remain untouched, at least until this Ransian nuisance is dealt with."

"How good we are all in agreement about these new interlopers."

Kagetomo's teasing smile disintegrated instantly, before Lysandre could blink the man had already blurred into the darkest a corner of the room, eyes closed and kunai in hand. Lysandre's electroglass visor polarized the nanosecond it registered the signature six bioluminescent spots on the newcomer's body with the expansion suits of his Essentia bodyguards not too far behind.

Two scythe-like limbs floated at his sides, the purple tendrils atop his head undulated as if by some unseen breeze. His purple beak was cracked into an impish grin, golden eyes shifting between each boss. Floating beside him was a gaunt Gardevoir holding a Ralts, the two of them bobbing gently in place.

"If I ever survive this I will pour the rest of my budget into security," Lysandre vowed, fighting to keep his heart from leaping out of his throat. Kagetomo's vitals were just as frenzied, his eyes were closed but the Team Flare boss knew better than to think the man was any more blind than if his eyes were open.

"I've...learned," the overturning Pokémon cackled at the word, "many things about you from your associate Celosia and I must say that I'm impressed. It might please you to know that our goals may actually coincide. We can work out the details some other time considering our present company." The Malamar's eyes flitted over to the cornered assassin.

A genuine grin stretched across Lysandre's face, his shaking hands going still as he lowered them and straightened his back.

"Go on."

"Where are my manners? I am Aburoralith of House Illithedenos. I come on behalf of my brothers to extend a...partnership," the psychic squid bowed, throwing his arms out with great flourish.

"Is that what you call the army of thralls you sent to Camphrier?" Lysandre's brow peeked over the visor.

"A diversionary tactic. Whether they succeeded or not was not our goal. We needed everyone's focus there while I made my way over to you. We did not expect the arrival of that flying fortress or the aid of another region. I agree with the assassin that their presence is troubling. My brethren are willing to join this ceasefire you were just negotiating so that we may remove these new obstacles."

"What say you Kagetomo? Are you still interested in following through with this truce?"

Kagetomo dared not open his eyes and yet he could almost hear Lysandre's smile grow wider with every word.

"I know you'll choose wisely, assassin. Heidayu held the utmost respect for you. In fact, I can check if he's still around and return him to you. A... sign of good faith if you will," the Malamar mockingly echoed.

 _That bastard. So that's what happened to my old lieutenant._ _And Lysandre, his entire demeanor is different now. He might actually be happy that the damned Malamar is here. What exactly is he planning that would coincide with the damned squids? If I say no now, will I even leave this room alive?_

"Our deal stands. I will inform my forces of this," Kagetomo straightened and with the flick of his wrist the kunai in his hands disappeared. One moment he was there, the next moment he disappeared, a feat that even Lysandre's visor could not explain.

"I will be leaving this Ralts here in your care. It will relay message to you of our plans. I do ask that you be patient, my race tends to move slowly when executing plans. A little bird has just informed me that these... Ransians have withdrawn their forces for the time being in order to remove themselves from the suspicion of being spies for any particular group. They've been allowed to keep some of their forces in Kalosian waters should the need for their aid arise. We will have to maneuver carefully if we are to keep them from interfering. We may not make a move for another few months or even years."

"If you have Celosia then you know that I can be quite patient myself."

"Would you like her back? I'm certain she's only somewhat damaged."

Lysandre flicked his fingers out dismissively.

"She's served her purpose when she introduced me to you."

Aburoralith smirked and allowed himself a laugh.

"I think this will be the first time I've ever enjoyed having a conversation with one of your race. I look forward to our continued partnership."

"As do I," Lysandre replied. "And tell your other two compatriots that I look forwards to working with them as well."

For the briefest of moments Aburoralith paused in his movements. Were it not for his visor, Lysandre wouldn't have noticed it at all.

"Whoever told you that there was only three of us anymore should really update their sources."

Lysandre watched the Gardevoir teleport him away and felt a cold bead of sweat slide down his face.

* * *

 **Words for now! And these are translated as follows, because sometimes Ransians use a variety from different regions and lands. But they will be primarily in Ransian (Japanese).**

 **(1) Tawagoto - shit**

 **(2) kuso tta otoko tachi - shit-faced bastards**

 **(3) Verdammt zur Hölle - dammit all to hell**

 **Also would like to give a big shoutout to Cornova for helping me with this chapter. :) So, thanks, Cornova. :)**

 **Be sure to tune in for the next chapter, peeps~! ;D**

 **Ja ne! :)**


End file.
